Molly Tomcyk, Staff Writer
A stream of people filed into the Burton Morgan Center lecture hall on Oct. 21. After taking their seats, notepads readied, eyes focused, and heads nodding, they delved into a conversation about academic freedom led by two experts.
Dr. Amna Khalid, Carleton College History professor and Jeff Snyder, Carleton College Educational Studies professor, were the featured speakers during the Say Anything? Academic Freedom and Free Speech on College Campuses event, Diana Mafe, Director of the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement and English professor, said. This session was part of a larger series, Minds Wide Open, that the Lisska Center for Intellectual Engagement puts on, Mafe said. The program welcomes both speakers outside and inside of Denison.
“The goal of the series is to come up with an interesting and timely topic and just have people come out, listen to a moderated conversation, and then also have a chance to weigh in as well,” Mafe said.
Academic freedom is teachers’ and students’ ability to teach and learn without censorship, Mafe said, which Khalid and Snyder share a passion for studying, according to the Carleton College directory. The event revolved around free speech and academic freedom in which the professors answered questions posed by Mafe, who moderated. Additionally, Khalid and Snyder responded to audience inquiries during the Q&A portion. Earlier that day, they met with students and faculty, and visited a class, Mafe said.
In preparation for moderating the conversation between Khalid and Snyder, Mafe researched academic freedom, free speech and the legislation that impacts it. Additionally, she immersed herself in the materials that Khalid and Snyder created, such as their writings and podcast.
“So far, I’ve loved [being a moderator],” Mafe said. “It’s a chance to really dwell on the topic, do a bit of research, and then try and come up with what are hopefully good questions that will generate good conversations. It’s a chance for me to learn.”
Gigi Manley 28’ said she attended the event in an effort to take more advantage of college’s intellectual opportunities and noted how both students and faculty attended and engaged with the concept. Additionally, the event was not only a way to learn more about academic freedom, a relevant topic, but to see it from a professor’s perspective was interesting, Manley said.
“College is such a unique environment in which you have access to [practically] infinite resources,” Manley said. “Admittedly, I don’t come to a lot of conversations or events that Denison is hosting, but that’s something that I’ve been pushing myself to take advantage of because I know that postgrad, unless you go to grad school, there’s less opportunity to learn.”
After the session concluded, Manley remained in the lecture hall, talking with Snyder about the importance of student discourse.
“Post-graduation, we’re supposed to come out of here more well rounded, more knowledgeable, not only in our subject areas, but also, being moral agents, being able to be civically engaged,” Manley said. “How do we do those things if we don’t have the tools for them?”
Moreover, Khalid and Snyder talked about the threats toward academic freedom such as certain legislation which led to research funding cuts, the polarization in politics and cancel culture. Manley has seen a lack of student participation in class due to fear of being wrong or of social or academic consequences, she said.
“A lot of the times when there’s opportunities for [engaging in controversial topics] in the classroom, students go silent,” Manley said. “So, how do we cultivate those conversations? Because without them, we don’t grow.”
This recent trend of discourse surrounding controversial topics being stunted is why the speakers and this topic was chosen, Mafe said. Although Mafe has not experienced restrictions to her own academic freedom, there have been times at Denison where some students or staff are uncertain of what they can share, Mafe said. The event is an opportunity to hear the speakers’ insights, who teach at a liberal arts college, about why a lack of discourse occurs.
“By bringing in speakers to discuss this topic, the event was a chance to tackle why people may not feel comfortable speaking their mind,” Mafe said. “Whether because of legislative oversight, peer pressure, or other factors.”
Academic freedom is intertwined with Denison and college education’s mission and is a necessary part of liberal arts learning, Mafe said.
“When I think about academic freedom and freedom of speech, especially at a liberal arts college where we are about inquiry, we need the freedom to inquire, to talk to each other, to disagree [and] to debate,” Mafe said.