Academic Freedom Symposium

This Academic Freedom Symposium is being co-hosted by the Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas (CAFA), Scholars at Risk, and the New York University Department of Applied Statistics, Social Sciences, and Humanities (ASH). This full day event will feature speakers from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Pen America, the AAUP, various educator unions, as well as faculty, scholars, and students. The Symposium will be held from 9:00AM-4:00PM and take place at 5 Washington Square Place, New York, New York 10003. Lunch will be included.

Registration is free but required for all participants. An agenda of Symposium panels is included below:

8:30-9:00AM: Registration and Breakfast 

9:00-9:15AM: Welcome and Introductions 

9:15-10:00AM: What is Academic Freedom? Why do we need to protect it?: A Look at the Inter-American Implementing Principles of Academic Freedom and University Autonomy and the Principles for Implementing the Right to Academic Freedom 

• Camilla Croso, Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas 
• Jesse Levine, Scholars at Risk 

10:00-10:30AM: Highlights from the UNSR on Academic Freedom in the US (with discussion) 

• Farida Shaheed, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education 

10:30AM-12:00PM: Academic Freedom Under Fire 

• Moderator and Discussant: Carol Anne Spreen, New York University 
• Irene Mulvey, Former President, American Association of University Professionals (AAUP) 
• Jeremy Young, Freedom to Learn Program Director, Pen America 
• Theresa Harris, Program Director, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program 
• Rebecca Everly, National Academies of Sciences 

12:00-1:00PM: Lunch Break and Informal Discussions 

1:00-2:30PM: The Significance of University Autonomy 

• Moderator and Discussant: Karina Batthyány (CLACSO) 
• Natasha Lennerd, Associate Director of the Creative Publishing and Critical Journalism Program, The New School 
• Nicholas Mirzoeff, Professor and Chair of the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, New York University
• Athena Mutua, University of Buffalo, Critical Legal Collective Coordinating Committee 
• Vasuki Nesiah, Professor of Practice, Human Rights and International Law, Gallatin (AAUP-NYU) 
• Deena Hurwitz, Human Rights Law Educator and former Founding Director, International Human Rights Law Clinic, University of Virginia School of Law 
• Dani Friedrich, Teachers College, Columbia University 

2:30-3:30PM: Attacks on K-12 Education and the Public Sphere: Threats to DEI, Gender/LGBTQI+ Studies, Book Banning, Curriculum Censorship and “Parental Rights” 

• Moderator and Discussant: Frank Adamson, (California State University) 
• Libby Harrity, former President, New College Student Council, now Hampshire College 
• Karla Mats, Miami Dade-UTLA 
• Kasey Meehan, Freedom to Read, Pen America 
• Hiro Yoshikawa, Professor, New York University 

3:30-4:00PM: The Way Forward: Solidarity, Collective Action and Protecting Academic Freedom