So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast Ep. 241: The government’s money, the government’s rules?
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Apr 23, 2025 
David Rabban, a distinguished teaching professor at The University of Texas, and Erwin Chemerinsky, dean at UC Berkeley Law, tackle critical issues surrounding academic freedom and government influence on universities. They discuss the implications of funding threats faced by prestigious institutions like Harvard and Columbia, analyzing the tensions between First Amendment rights and federal mandates. The conversation also delves into viewpoint diversity, discrimination laws, and the evolving landscape of higher education, highlighting the risks and future of federal funding.
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Funding Cuts Violate Academic Freedom
- Federal funding restrictions on universities without following proper legal procedures violate First Amendment academic freedom rights.
- Government punishment for speech universities allow implicates constitutional consequences even for private universities.
Academic Freedom Applies to Private Universities
- The First Amendment protects academic freedom against government interference, even at private universities like Columbia.
- Government actions intruding on faculty hiring, course content, or admissions violate constitutional academic freedom rights.
Government Control Threatens Free Speech
- The government's demands for viewpoint diversity and faculty oversight amount to unconstitutional federal control of speech on campus.
- These demands exceed Title VI enforcement and infringe on First Amendment protections of academic freedom.
