Promoting Civil Discourse & Intellectual Dialogue Series - The Value of Political Pluralism in Academia

Promoting Civil Discourse & Intellectual Dialogue Series

“It is better to be the thorn in the side of your friend than his echo”: The Value of Political Pluralism in Academia

Professor Philip Swan of Hunter College will be joined by Laura Beltz, Director of Policy Reform and Ryne Weiss, Director of Research, at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) as well as Manhattan Institute Fellows John Ketcham and Renu Mukherjee in a discussion exploring ways academia can represent the diverse political views of our larger society while also honoring the academic freedom of faculty and students. The speakers from FIRE will provide information on recent free speech challenges, will discuss where Hunter ranks on the issue of free speech, and will suggest policies that can help us navigate this volatile environment with our principles of fairness intact. The speakers from the Manhattan Institute and City Journal will share insights from the new City Journal College Rankings, a project that provides students and families with information on how different universities value free speech, ideological diversity, classroom experience, and other factors often excluded from traditional college ranking systems, such as U.S. News & World Report.

Speakers:

 
Philip G. Swan is a Professor at Hunter College, where he serves as Archivist at the Hunter College Libraries. With a career spanning over two decades in academic librarianship, Swan has held progressive roles at Hunter College since 2000. His interdisciplinary expertise bridges library science, historical scholarship, and the visual arts. Swan is a published scholar with numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on topics ranging from police social work and stress management interventions to early American history. He is also a visual artist, having exhibited in over 25 group and solo shows across New York, New Jersey, and beyond.

Laura Beltz has spent a decade on FIRE’s Policy Reform team, working with colleges to create a better foundation for free speech on their campuses. Through her role as director, she heads up efforts to assist colleges with improving their policies, procedures, and educational programming on expression. Laura graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a B.A. in English through the Schreyer Honors College. She is also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and is a member of the Pennsylvania state bar. At Penn Law, Laura was an associate editor of the Journal of Constitutional Law, and completed internships with FIRE and the National Constitution Center.

Ryne Weiss is the Director of Research at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), where he oversees research projects, administers a grant program supporting research on free speech and academic freedom, and writes on the intersection of technology and freedom of expression. Ryne's previous roles at FIRE have included direct advocacy on behalf of students and faculty facing censorship, managing FIRE's social media presence, and contributing research to Greg Lukianoff's publications, including 2018's The Coddling of the American Mind, and 2023's The Canceling of the American Mind.

Neetu Arnold is a Paulson Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute. Her work investigates how educational institutions and policies affect academic standards, equal opportunity, and public trust. Her writing has appeared in numerous outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and USA Today, and her research has informed public debate and policy discussions at the state and national levels. She is a graduate of Cornell University.

John D. Sailer is the director of higher education policy and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. His research and investigations cover issues of academic freedom, free speech, and ideological capture in higher education.

Sailer’s work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, the Free Press, Tablet Magazine, and more. He has been cited in the New York Times, on CNN, and in the Chronicle of Higher Education. His investigations have led to significant policy changes at universities across the country.

He holds a master’s degree in philosophy and education from Columbia University, Teachers College, and a bachelor’s degree in politics, philosophy, and economics from The King’s College. Prior to joining the Manhattan Institute, he was a senior fellow at the National Association of Scholars.