The Minnesota American Association of University Professors and other faculty members urged the University of Minnesota to delay and reconstruct a University-sponsored event, held Thursday, on academic freedom and campus free speech, organized by free-expression advocacy group PEN America.  

Faculty say the University’s limitations on free speech contradict the intent of the event.

On Sept. 4, the executive committee of the Minnesota AAUP sent a letter to Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Beth Lewis, Faculty Consultative Committee Chair Perry Leo and other members of the committee, asking the University to delay or reconsider the “A Campus for All” event, which took place on Thursday. 

The AAUP said that although they welcome an opportunity to meet and discuss a way the event can be reorganized, the University is not doing enough to address its own violations of academic freedoms. 

In their letter, the AAUP cited the revocation of Raz Segal’s job offer and the removal of University of Minnesota departmental statements as examples of these violations. 

“Given recent, painful, and well-publicized violations of academic freedom on our campus, this event is poised to do real damage to the already fraught relationship between the administration and the faculty, as well as our wider campus community,” the AAUP said in the letter. 

When asked for a statement, the University sent the Minnesota Daily links to the University’s principles and policies on academic freedom and civic responsibilities.

“A Campus for All”, hosted by PEN America, is sponsored by the consultative committee and the vice provost’s office.

The event’s purpose is to explore how campuses can safeguard open debate and academic freedom even as they advance diversity and inclusion, according to the Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs. 

AAUP President William Jones said the AAUP isn’t against the idea of an event about academic freedom and campus free speech because it is an important discussion. He said the AAUP was upset that the event was organized without consulting any campus experts on freedom of speech and the First Amendment.

“We have some of the leading experts in the world on academic freedom, on freedom of speech. We should consult them,” Jones said. “I think they should be involved in the program, but even if they’re not involved in the program, they should at least be consulted.”

One of the experts Jones points to was Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law and the director of the Silha Center for the Study of Media Ethics and Law. 

Kirtley said she was not consulted about the event and first heard about it when she received an email from the vice provost’s office announcing the event.

Kirtley said she shares many concerns raised in the AAUP’s letter and was surprised an event on academic freedom and campus free speech would be launched with limited input from various faculty groups, given the controversy surrounding the Board of Regents’ institutional speech resolution in April.

“It’s ironic that they would say we don’t want there to be institutional speech except on matters that are clearly relevant to the University’s mission,” Kirtley said. “And then they say, okay, now we’re going to bring in this outside group that we’ve chosen, with very limited input from faculty and other stakeholders, to basically tell you what academic freedom means.” 

Kirtley said that, though she appreciates the expertise PEN America has, the organization is not considered an academic freedom expert. She added they are advocates for freedom of expression, but the event is not solely about that. 

“There is very little evidence that they do in the area of academic freedom, even though they are now apparently creating this road show, where they’re going out and doing that,” Kirtley said. “Maybe they have changed, maybe they have hired other people, but based on the two speakers that they’ve got coming, I am just not convinced.” 

Kirtley, who has known PEN America for a long time, said PEN America mirrors a European approach to freedom of expression. She said this approach is less informed by First Amendment principles. 

The worldwide organization PEN International is based in London, UK and was founded in 1921, according to its website. PEN America is the U.S. branch of the organization. 

Kirtley added that some of the positions PEN America has taken since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel have fallen under the European belief that freedom of expression must be balanced with the belief that some speech is too offensive to allow.

Hundreds of writers allege PEN America showed limited concern over the suffering of Gaza residents and the deaths of Palestinian writers and journalists in May 2024, according to PBS News. 

Speech rights in Europe are strong, but not absolute. Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights protects free expression but lets governments impose narrow limits for security, public order or others’ rights. 

Kirtley said if the University is going to bring groups versed in European standards that do not fit U.S. rules, then they should also have input from experts who have a better-developed understanding of U.S. academic freedom laws.

According to Kirtley, having the event without consulting any experts at the University is strange. 

“What this (the event) is about is essentially throwing a bone to those of us that are not happy with the institutional speech policy,” Kirtley said. “You see, we are mounting an event where there will be a discussion about academic freedom.”

Kirtley added that she is concerned those who disagree with PEN America during the event will have little opportunity to express their views, since PEN America facilitated the whole event.

“The reality is that when the University sponsors something like this, going back to institutional speech, then the presumption is going to be this is what the University thinks is the right position to take,” Kirtley said. “It’s a little contradicting.”

While PEN America is a prominent organization that deals with free speech, it does not have a connection or history of engaging in issues of academic freedom or free speech on the Minnesota campus. Instead, they defer to other organizations like the AAUP regarding academic freedom. 

“They (PEN America) say, if you want to know more about academic freedom, look at the AAUP,” Jones said. “So they don’t even consider themselves an expert, like a sort of an authority on academic freedom, they defer to other organizations, so that I think is a limitation. I’m not sure why they were chosen for those reasons.”