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About Wake Forest’s Statement on Free Expression and Academic Freedom

The Process of Developing the Statement

Wake Forest University’s Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom was adopted by the Board of Trustees on April 25, 2025, following a year-long, inclusive process that invited broad participation across our community.

The effort was guided by the belief that how we arrived at the statement was just as important as the final document itself. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators engaged in open dialogue, reflection, and feedback throughout every stage of the process.

An Inclusive and Collaborative Effort

In summer 2024, the Provost appointed a Drafting Team of faculty and staff representing diverse disciplines and perspectives. This group reviewed research on free expression and academic freedom—at Wake Forest and across higher education—and prepared a draft statement grounded in our University’s mission and traditions.

Throughout the 2024–25 academic year, the University community was invited to respond through campus conversations, discussion guides, and feedback forms. These opportunities for dialogue culminated in a revised statement that reflects the values, experiences, and aspirations of our entire campus.

The final statement was presented to and formally adopted by the Board of Trustees in April 2025.

Drafting Team

  • Matthew Clifford, Dean of Students
  • Mary Crosby, Associate Counsel
  • John Dinan, Professor of Politics & International Affairs
  • Simeon Ilesanmi, University Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies
  • Sam Perrotta (committee staff), Chief of Staff, Office of the Provost
  • Matthew Phillips (chair), Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Teaching Professor of Business Law & Ethics
  • Lauren Reid, Associate Professor of Accountancy, Lambert Family Accounting Fellow, and Faculty Senate Executive Committee
  • Margaret Taylor, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law

Commitment to Ongoing Dialogue

The process to craft this statement reflected Wake Forest’s culture of shared governance and civil discourse. While the drafting phase has concluded, the conversations it sparked continue to inform how we teach, learn, and engage with one another.

The resources on this site—including discussion materials and contextual documents—remain available to support continued learning and dialogue about academic freedom and free expression across our community.