Slate News What Next | How Colleges Can Fight Back
Mar 24, 2025
Lee Bollinger, President Emeritus of Columbia University, dives deep into the challenges facing higher education today. He discusses how the Trump administration's funding strategies threaten academic freedom, pointing out the critical reliance universities have on federal support. Bollinger also addresses the delicate balance of free speech and accountability within campuses, especially regarding anti-Semitism. He shares insights on navigating the heated debates over affirmative action and strategies for universities to rally support amid political pressures.
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First Amendment Protection
- The First Amendment protects even offensive speech unless it incites imminent illegal action.
- This high standard, established over decades of jurisprudence, makes the US unique.
Supreme Court Free Speech Cases
- The Supreme Court protected a Klan rally's right to speech despite threats, citing no imminent harm.
- Similarly, neo-Nazis' planned march in Skokie, Illinois, a predominantly Jewish suburb, was also deemed protected.
Affirmative Action Case
- Lee Bollinger led the University of Michigan's successful Supreme Court defense of affirmative action.
- However, the precedent was later overturned, showing the limitations of courts as a backstop.