Academic freedom and free speech are cornerstones of any thriving university. But right now, those values are under threat at the University of Minnesota.

In March 2025, the U of M’s Board of Regents passed a sweeping resolution that bars academic departments, centers, and institutes from making public statements on "matters of public concern" without prior approval from President Rebecca Cunningham. This top-down policy has chilled speech across campus, prompting self-censorship, canceled events, and confusion over what faculty and departments are allowed to say.

Faculty, staff, students, and national academic groups have raised the alarm. The University Senate, over 400 U academics, and major free speech organizations like PEN America and the AAUP have all urged the administration to revoke this harmful resolution. And yet, the Board has refused to revisit the policy—even after promising to do so.

Universities must be places where scholars can debate the most pressing issues of our time. From war and peace to civil rights and climate change, academic departments contribute critical knowledge and insight that benefits the public. Gagging those voices—especially at a public university—violates not just academic norms but also the public trust.

We, the undersigned, call on President Rebecca Cunningham and the University of Minnesota Board of Regents to immediately repeal the March 2025 resolution limiting institutional speech. Restore our university’s commitment to academic freedom, transparency, and open discourse. Stop censoring scholars. Start listening to them.

This policy is not protecting the university—it’s undermining its purpose.

Photo: Elizabeth Flores/The Minnesota Star Tribune