Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Backback to Main menu
    • About
    • Leadership
    • Mission and Strategic Plan
    • Accreditation
    • Our City
    • Facts and Figures
    • Campus Safety
    • Buildings and Maps
    • Contact Us
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Academics
    • Majors & Programs
    • Class Search
    • Catalogs
    • Academic Calendar
    • Colleges
    • Academic Affairs
    • Online Learning
    • International
    • Library
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Undergraduate Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • Tuition and Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Registrar
    • Visit UNO
    • Request Info
    • Apply
  • Student Life Backback to Main menu
    • Student Life
    • Division of Student Life and Wellbeing
    • Academic & Career Development Center
    • Accessibility
    • Housing & Residence Life
    • Inclusion
    • Service
    • Student Conduct & Community Standards
    • Student Involvement
    • Student Safety
    • Wellness
  • Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Engagement
    • Office of Engagement
    • Campus Resources for Community
    • Service Learning Academy
    • Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
    • Volunteer and Civic Engagement Programs
    • Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center
    • Faculty Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Voter Engagement
    • Community Engagement Partnership Initiative
  • Research Backback to Main menu
    • Research
    • Research News
    • Centers and Institutes
  • Athletics Backback to Main menu
    • Athletics
    • Baxter Arena
    • Omaha Mavericks Website
  • Alumni Backback to Main menu
    • Alumni
    • Transcripts
    • Thompson Center
  1. UNO
  2. News
  3. 2021
  4. 07
  5. From the Office of the President: In Defense of Academic Freedom at the University of Nebraska

From the Office of the President: In Defense of Academic Freedom at the University of Nebraska

The preservation of academic freedom is vital for any great university.

  • published: 2021/07/21
  • contact: University of Nebraska
University of Nebraska (NU) System seal

University of Nebraska (NU) System seal

To the Faculty, Staff, and Students of the University of Nebraska:

Recently there has been a great deal of conversation across our campuses about academic freedom and its importance to our university. Today we issue the following unified statement in defense of freedom of expression for all members of the University of Nebraska community:

The free and open pursuit of ideas is a cherished principle in higher education, and its preservation is vital for any great university. As our policies and practices make clear, the University of Nebraska is strongly committed to academic freedom. We support and defend the liberties our teachers and learners have to freely discuss ideas in and outside of the classroom.

Our central mission is to educate Nebraska’s future leaders, and in preparing students to be thoughtful and engaged citizens, our instructors expose them to any number of concepts and ideas. Issues around race, equity and the fight against racism are an important part of our country’s story and they have an appropriate place in our classrooms. Our policies guard against the introduction of matters that are irrelevant to the subject at hand. We further expect and believe that in discussing ideas, our instructors make their classrooms places of robust and open debate, where all viewpoints are considered and all may express their opinions freely. That commitment to free expression is at the heart of our work as an institution of higher learning.

Regent Jim Pillen has notified us that he intends to place a resolution regarding critical race theory on the agenda for the August 13 Board of Regents meeting. The meeting agenda will be finalized on August 6. As we have shared with Regent Pillen, we have significant concerns about the resolution and how it would be interpreted by the faculty, staff, and students we hope to recruit and retain. We will continue to work together and with the Board to vigorously protect and defend academic freedom at the University of Nebraska.

Thank you for all that you do for our university.


Ted Carter
President, University of Nebraska System

Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.
Chancellor, University of Nebraska Medical Center

Ronnie D. Green, Ph.D.
Chancellor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Doug Kristensen, J.D.
Chancellor, University of Nebraska at Kearney

Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA
Chancellor, University of Nebraska at Omaha
About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

  • News Sections:
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events
SHARE

News Sections

  • News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured Stories

  • New Flight Simulator to Prep Future 737 Pilots at UNO
  • Lutte Speaks to Congressional Committee on Strengthening the Aviation Workforce
  • #NUforNE: Preventing Violent Acts Through Chatbots
  • NU System President Ted Carter: As Nebraska Looks to Grow, the University Offers a Powerful ROI

Contact Us

If you have a story idea, news tip, or other question, please email the UNO News team at unonews@unomaha.edu.

About University Communications

  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • Report an Incident or Concern

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page