AFA Newsletters

Spring Update from the AFA As summer approaches, we want to take a moment to update you on the latest developments in our movement for academic freedom.  New Guidance Statement on IRBs In March, we released a new guidance statement urging universities and their...

Year-End Update from the AFA As 2025 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on the year behind us, when the threats facing academic freedom evolved dramatically. Here is how we fought to defend freedom of thought, inquiry, expression, and discussion on...

October Update from the AFA Annual Conference in Princeton We had another successful conference last month in Princeton, gathering around 20 participants for interesting discussions and presentations on a range of topics. For example, David Rabban presented on the...

September Update from the AFA We are off to a busy start to the new semester, with one new public case and several requests under consideration. The speech climate on campuses has grown increasingly contentious following the recent political violence and the ongoing...

July Update from the AFA We hope everyone is enjoying their summer months. As we look ahead to a new academic year, the AFA continues to support faculty in ongoing disputes while preparing for the new challenges that inevitably await. July was a quieter month on our...

June Update from the AFA Favorable Court Ruling for Dr. Joyner Dr. Michael Joyner’s case against the Mayo Clinic, which is funded and supported by the AFA, has been approved by a judge to move forward to a jury trial in September. The Third Judicial Court of Olmsted...

May Update from the AFA Defending a Professor Punished for a Tweet The AFA sent a letter to Columbia University this month in favor of Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, a tenured professor and department chair who was punished in 2022 over an instance of extramural speech. In...

April Update from the AFA Defending a Professor Fired Over His Nationality On April 3, we sent a letter to the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida regarding a professor’s firing from New College of Florida. The college reportedly terminated...

March Update from the AFA Speaking Out on Deportations The AFA this week sent a statement regarding the deportation of non-citizen scholars and students. This statement followed the Trump administration’s decision to deport or revoke the visas of hundreds of...

February Update from the AFA The AFA continues to monitor and provide legal resources in several cases, including Dr. Michael Joyner’s case against the Mayo Clinic and Kenderick Morales's against Spelman College. Last month, we helped support a professor at a public...