The higher education community is experiencing new challenges to intellectual freedom both from peers with different viewpoints and increasingly from state and local governments. At the same time, faculty and librarians still must provide students with an open and interactive learning environment that fosters the development of independent, critical thinking skills while steering them from mis- and dis-information. What role can – and should – members of the academic community play as censorship increasingly becomes institutionalized and bans and restrictions are on the rise?

In this one-hour webinar, four intellectual freedom experts will address:

• How have challenges to academic freedoms changed in recent years and what do you think is causing those changes?

• What should be the role of faculty and librarians when they see bans on materials or information – whether the calls come from students, university leadership, or lawmakers?

• How can they support students and colleagues from across the political spectrum who wish to restrict access to the information?

• How can they steer students away from misinformation without restricting access to information?

• Ultimately, is there anything faculty and librarians can do to promote a culture of intellectual freedom in an era of extreme polarization? How might they collaborate in new ways in this effort?

The session will include a moderated Q&A with the speakers as well as extensive time for Q&A with audience members.