Fostering robust intellectual exchange and open inquiry is a core tenet of American democracy, and these principles have been recently tested in many communities and public fora across the country. Amid this turmoil, colleges and universities have the opportunity to strengthen their civic mission to prepare engaged and responsible citizens.
The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) has received a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations to meet these challenges and support academic leaders in creating consistent, principled approaches to civil discourse and free expression that can rebuild a culture of free expression on campuses. The Campus Free Expression Project (CFEP) has moved to CIC to provide this support to academic leaders at its independent colleges and universities. Launched in 2019 at the Bipartisan Policy Center, the CFEP’s central goal is to promote open discourse and provide resources on college campuses to create independent thinkers and engaged citizens.