Campus Freedom Initiative™
Free expression is the necessary precondition for the unfettered search for truth on the college campus.
George Mason University
An ACTA Report Card on Free Expression
ACTA’s Campus Freedom Initiative™ (CFI) has evaluated universities in several states against our Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™, a 20-point action plan for reestablishing higher education’s commitment to excellence and open inquiry. Below we present the George Mason University Gold Standard evaluation. George Mason University receives credit for twelve out of twenty Gold Standard measures. Our research highlights George Mason University strengths in protecting free expression and identifies areas it must work on to improve the student experience. Explore the full George Mason University Gold Standard evaluation to learn more.
ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™| COMMIT TO A CULTURE OF FREE EXPRESSION | GMU |
|---|---|
| Adopt the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression or a similarly strong statement. | |
| Establish clear expectations regarding free expression in student and faculty handbooks and codes of conduct. | |
| Include a free expression unit in new-student orientations. | |
| Protect the diversity of political viewpoints by adopting an institutional neutrality policy such as the Kalven Report. | |
| FOSTER CIVIL DISCOURSE | GMU |
| Sponsor campus debates that model civil discourse. | |
| Promote free expression by encouraging the establishment of student groups devoted to free expression, civil discourse, or representing a plurality of perspectives. | |
| Establish policies that protect free expression rights on campus and set clear consequences for disruption of sponsored speakers, events, and classes. | |
| Enforce policies that protect free expression rights on campus and apply clear consequences for disruption of sponsored speakers, events, and classes. | |
| Cultivate Intellectual Diversity | GMU |
| Encourage presidents, provosts, and deans to model respect for a broad range of viewpoints. | |
| Guarantee that viewpoint diversity is reflected in student life policies and practices. | |
| Support academic centers dedicated to free inquiry and intellectual diversity. | No evidence of GMU supporting such centers could be found. |
| Ensure faculty hiring, evaluation, and promotion processes are based on merit and make clear that the institution is open to intellectual diversity. | There is no evidence of a university-wide effort at GMU on these issues. The university is under investigation for allegedly engaging in illegal discrimination in faculty hiring. |
| Break Down Barriers to Free Expression | GMU |
| Eliminate speech and IT policies that have a chilling effect on free expression. | |
| Ensure that enforcement of Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX does not infringe on free expression. | |
| Disband bias response teams. | Administrators have discussed disbanding GMU’s bias response team, but no action has been taken. |
| Review student government policies to ensure viewpoint neutrality in student group recognition and funding. | No evidence that meets this measure could be found. GMU is gathering materials to facilitate further analysis of this measure. |
| Advance Leadership Accountability | GMU |
| Include commitments to free expression in mission statements, values statements, strategic plans, and other key institutional documents. | Evidence that GMU meets this measure is insufficient. |
| Include a commitment to free expression as a criterion in searches and evaluations for presidents, provosts, and deans. | In its most recent presidential search, GMU identifies freedom of expression and thought as university values, but it does not include a commitment to these values in the description of the minimum qualifications for a successful candidate. In contrast, the minimum qualifications do include a commitment to DEI. |
| Require free expression and viewpoint diversity training for administrative staff. | No evidence that meets this measure could be found. GMU is gathering materials to facilitate further analysis of this measure. |
| Conduct regular surveys or other quantitative studies of students and faculty to assess the state of free expression and intellectual diversity on campus. | No evidence that GMU conducts this type of research could be found. |
WHO WE ARE
Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.
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