Yale Faculty Say Academic Freedom Has Decreased

A majority of Yale University faculty members say their academic freedom has decreased in recent years, and half fear losing their jobs for teaching about controversial topics, according to a survey released today.

Of the 177 faculty members surveyed by the Yale chapter of the American Association of University Professors, 68.4 percent said their academic freedom has “decreased somewhat” or “decreased a great deal” since January 2025. About a third reported that their academic freedom has remained the same, and one respondent said their academic freedom has increased.

Also since January 2025, 32 percent of faculty said they have avoided controversial topics in class or lectures, 7.3 percent removed readings from syllabi and 4 percent canceled a scholarly talk or course presentation. Outside the classroom, 21.5 percent said they have “jettisoned scholarship altogether,” 47.5 percent said they stopped or avoided posting about controversial topics on social media and 30.5 percent said they have stopped talking to the press on such topics.

“To teach topics I have always focused on, like racial inequality in the U.S., I feel like I’m taking on more risk now as a scholar and teacher, but that this is seen as an individual choice, to be managed by me alone,” one survey respondent wrote. “I’m less concerned about disagreements from or with students in my classes (which I see as part of my job), and more concerned about navigating a larger ecosystem of people who are not taking the class—a potential digital peanut gallery looking to pick fights or raise controversy.”

Other notable findings include:

• 50 percent of survey respondents said they were “significantly concerned” about being fired or not having their contract renewed “for speech on controversial topics in the classroom, in their research, and in their public expression.”
• 56 percent of faculty said they worry a student might file an anonymous complaint about them.
• 18 percent of faculty said they were significantly concerned about being arrested in connection with their teaching.
• About 60 percent of respondents worried about doxing or other public harassment in response to teaching controversial topics.
• 70 percent of faculty reported concerns about visa issues or deportation.