What has happened to our universities? The academic life is hard enough, without the fear, isolation, and reputational or career risk that comes with questioning the status quo these days. The culture of robust debate that should define university life is dying, failing to be passed on to our young people.
You don’t need to take our word for it, we asked you. Our most recent research with New Zealand academics showed that only around half of those surveyed felt free to raise different perspectives with colleagues, and only around forty percent felt free to state controversial or unpopular opinions. Academics felt less free across all metrics from our previous survey, suggesting that if you’re one of the lucky ones who feels free now, it’s unlikely to last.
How can we have confidence in leaders who find it “challenging to even schedule a conversation about how we have challenging conversations.”[1] The academic establishment, including existing Unions and Societies, have not only let you down as advocates for your rights, they’ll take you down too. We saw this with the Listener Seven, several of which were threatened with expulsion. The powers-that-be are not for you.
Our universities should be places where you
Can you imagine an academy where the values of academic freedom and freedom of expression are lived out wholeheartedly? Where you can advance knowledge without fear or self-censorship? Where our young people are truly instilled with the spirit of intellectual inquiry, preparing them for lives of leadership?
We can. But we won’t get there without a fight, and we won’t win that fight without organising under a banner. So, we’re doing something about it—we’ve launched our first professional membership:
The membership is represented by the newly-formed Inter-University Council for Academic Freedom, chaired by Prof. Paul Moon from Auckland University of Technology and Prof. Elizabeth Rata from the University of Auckland. As a member, you will gain:
Protection: a team in your corner to protect you and give you confidence,
Power: a platform to come together to hold our universities to account and restore a culture of open dialogue and intellectual enquiry, and
Partners: a community of scholars serious about academic freedom and free speech.
This is just the beginning, as we will work with members to develop better ways to support them.
For years, we’ve held institutional leaders to account. We’ve hosted tours, events, and responded fiercely to the issues of the day with the popular support of our membership. We’ve released robust academic freedom research, alongside a universities Ranking Report. We’ve chosen this as our first Professional Membership because it is so critical for our nation’s future.
As a registered union, we’ve represented many employees in disputes with employers over speech rights. We’ve sat in on member’s HR meetings, leading to disciplinary proceedings being dropped entirely, and connected other members with the legal support they need. We have legal protection to organize meetings at universities, giving us the edge over cancel culture. We have what it takes.
So, if you want to gain confidence knowing we’ve got your back, to help reject the culture of fear at our campuses, and to belong to a community of academics pursuing knowledge through open dialogue. All for the cost of a flat white a week. Together we can restore our universities to their rightful place, for you and for generations to come.
[1] https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350258865/victoria-university-postpones-challenging-free-speech-event
[2] Education and Training Act 2020 267 (4) (a)
[3] Education and Training Act 2020, 268 (2) (i) (E)
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