Campus Freedom Initiative™
Free expression is the necessary precondition for the unfettered search for truth on the college campus.
James Madison 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 James Madison University Gold Standard evaluation. James Madison University receives credit for nine out of twenty Gold Standard measures. Our research highlights James Madison University strengths in protecting free expression and identifies areas it must work on to improve the student experience. Explore the full James Madison University Gold Standard evaluation to learn more.
ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression™| COMMIT TO A CULTURE OF FREE EXPRESSION | JMU |
|---|---|
| Adopt the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression or a similarly strong statement. | No evidence of JMU adopting the Chicago Principles or a similar statement could be found. |
| 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. | No evidence of JMU adopting an institutional neutrality policy could be found. |
| FOSTER CIVIL DISCOURSE | JMU |
| Sponsor campus debates that model civil discourse. | JMU has offered programming consistent with this measure in the past, but such programming does not appear to be active and ongoing. |
| 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 | JMU |
| 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. | JMU’s student life policies contain elements that undermine free speech and viewpoint diversity. |
| Support academic centers dedicated to free inquiry and intellectual diversity. | |
| 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 JMU on these issues. |
| Break Down Barriers to Free Expression | JMU |
| Eliminate speech and IT policies that have a chilling effect on free expression. | Policies related to this measure have elements likely to chill free expression. |
| Ensure that enforcement of Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX does not infringe on free expression. | |
| Disband bias response teams. | |
| Review student government policies to ensure viewpoint neutrality in student group recognition and funding. | There is no evidence JMU has discriminated against student groups on the basis of viewpoint, but no clear statement prohibiting such discrimination could be found. |
| Advance Leadership Accountability | JMU |
| Include commitments to free expression in mission statements, values statements, strategic plans, and other key institutional documents. | No substantive evidence that meets this measure could be found in JMU’s bylaws, mission statements, or current strategic plan. |
| Include a commitment to free expression as a criterion in searches and evaluations for presidents, provosts, and deans. | No such commitment was made during JMU’s most recent presidential search. Promoting “a diverse and inclusive community” was described as a key priority in that search. |
| Require free expression and viewpoint diversity training for administrative staff. | No evidence that meets this measure could be found. |
| 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 JMU 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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