Yale Faculty Say Academic Freedom Has Decreased

Seventy percent of faculty reported concerns about visa issues or deportation.

Wikipedia

A majority of Yale University faculty members say their academic freedom has decreased in recent years, and half fear losing their jobs for teaching about controversial topics, according to a survey released today.

Of the 177 faculty members surveyed by the Yale chapter of the American Association of University Professors, 68.4 percent said their academic freedom has “decreased somewhat” or “decreased a great deal” since January 2025. About a third reported that their academic freedom has remained the same, and one respondent said their academic freedom has increased.

Also since January 2025, 32 percent of faculty said they have avoided controversial topics in class or lectures, 7.3 percent removed readings from syllabi and 4 percent canceled a scholarly talk or course presentation. Outside the classroom, 21.5 percent said they have “jettisoned scholarship altogether,” 47.5 percent said they stopped or avoided posting about controversial topics on social media and 30.5 percent said they have stopped talking to the press on such topics.