FAS Senate issues “Statement of Concern regarding Academic Freedom

October 1, 2021

Concern regarding Academic Freedom at Yale

Dear FAS Faculty,

The Senate is highly concerned regarding the news that Professor Gage has resigned as Grand Strategy Director due to pressure from donors to control the curriculum of the program.  Academic freedom is key to our mission as faculty as described in Yale’s faculty handbook regarding the University Policy on Freedom of Expression:

“The primary function of a university is to discover and disseminate knowledge by means of research and teaching. To fulfill this function a free interchange of ideas is necessary not only within its walls but with the world beyond as well. It follows that a university must do everything possible to ensure within it the fullest degree of intellectual freedom. The history of intellectual growth and discovery clearly demonstrates the need for unfettered freedom, the right to think the unthinkable, discuss the unmentionable, and challenge the unchallengeable. To curtail free expression strikes twice at intellectual freedom, for whoever deprives another of the right to state unpopular views necessarily also deprives others of the right to listen to those views.” 
 
The Senate will investigate this situation and will issue a plan for further action in the coming weeks.

Best regards,
Valerie Horsley
Chair, FAS Senate