The Wake Forest board of trustees has accepted the Statement of Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom, according to a school-wide email from President Susan Wente and Provost Michelle Gillespie.
“This Statement underscores Wake Forest’s commitment to the free exchange of ideas, which is fundamental to academic freedom and the pursuit of knowledge,” the message reads. “It ensures that all members of our university community, including students, faculty, and staff, can express their views without fear of censorship or reprisal. It fosters a more inclusive and welcoming campus environment by respecting all voices.”
The original draft statement was released on Feb. 11, written by a group of eight faculty and staff members. According to the university, the draft underwent revision through campus dialogue and student groups, alongside other faculty and staff members.
The Old Gold & Black’s comprehensive overview of the previously released draft statement can be found here.
After nationwide protests and encampments on college campuses regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, universities have started inciting conversations regarding freedom of speech on campus. Several universities have been criticized for either failing to uphold defined freedom of speech or not protecting on-campus safety concerns and hate speech.
This statement was released on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 — one year after the pro-Palestinian protest that developed into an encampment last spring.
In a previous interview with the Old Gold & Black, Matthew Clifford, vice president of students and dean of student life, talked about the catalyst for the draft. Clifford was a key member of the eight faculty and staff members on the drafting team.
“Free expression has been a big deal at Wake Forest and a strong part of the University culture, but it wasn’t written down in a single, shared document,” Clifford said, “We’ve seen recently that it would be beneficial to have shared language so that we can have difficult conversations about the nature of our community and so that when any one of us wants to express ourselves, we can feel comfortable about the protections available and the responsibilities that come along with them.”
Editor’s note: This is a developing story.
Paul Turner • May 2, 2025 at 9:56 pm
I read the new University “Statement of Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom” published today in the OG & B with great interest. My constitutional law professor at Duke, William Van Alstyne, had been President of the American Association of University Professors contemporaneous with Wake Forest receiving the Meicklejohn award for academic freedom based, in part, for defending against outside forces (the Baptist State Convention then) seeking to influence University policy. As reported in the OG & B in September 1978, he was invited to the campus and gave a speech commending the University in the highest terms. As his student, I can confirm that he was brilliant and not prone to exaggerated praise in the classroom. I remember feeling much pride that Wake had stood up for academic freedom at potentially high costs. While the new “Statement” reaffirms this long held belief in academic freedomigt says that “[t]he University and its leaders will not, however, establish a single University point of view about public matters that do not directly affect the University’s core function.” In April 194 institutions signed on to “A Call for Constructive Engagement” “speak[ing] with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.” Three North Carolina schools signed on (Duke, Davidson, Carolina Christian College); Wake was not a signator. Why was this? Perhaps the “core function” language quoted above is the reason. If so, then protecting the University against coercion from outside sources (the government now) is no longer one of the “core functions.” In his book “Songs of Wake Forest” Dr. Edwin Wilson posits ethical and moral values as central to the University’s core being, quoting at page 141 from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “The American Scholar” address to Harvard: “Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” Should the University stand up now for all its long held principles? If not, when?
Paul Turner • May 11, 2025 at 7:24 pm
Errata: In my Comment above the statement that Wake Forest did not sign the Statement was incorrect. I was looking at the Statement with attached list of 194 signators as of April 22. As reported in the OG & B, Dr. Wente signed for Wake on April 24; over 600 schools have now signed on to the Statement. Very glad Wake signed on and sorry for my error. I also omitted noting Warren Wilson College as a North Carolina school that signed the Statement.
Paul Turner
Wake ’64