Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/07/2026
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Freedom Forum Conference Center
As higher education faces unprecedented public scrutiny and interference, the traditional boundaries of academic freedom are being rapidly redrawn. This panel brings together national leaders at the intersection of labor, law, and academia to dissect the modern realities of academic freedom. Featuring American Association of University Professors (AAUP) President Todd Wolfson, renowned UNC sociologist and New York Times columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom, and ACLU lawyer Leah Watson, the conversation will explore how institutional governance, systemic inequities, and public-facing scholarship collide with constitutional protections. Together, the panelists will address these questions: What does academic freedom actually protect in today’s volatile climate, and how do attacks on faculty labor impact the future of open inquiry and a democratic society?
Todd Wolfson
Tressie McMillan Cottom
Leah Watson
Light snacks and drinks will be provided before.
It is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
Tagged: 1ad2026
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