Controversial Course Topics, Self-Censorship in Class, and Institutional Neutrality—Oh My!

University of Austin vs. Higher Ed with guest Benjamin Crocker

In this episode of Radio Free Campus, podcast co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison talk with Benjamin Crocker, University Dean at the University of Austin (UATX), about UATX's founding mission, its early successes as a new university, and how UATX sees itself as offering a compelling alternative to what students get from most American universities today. Want to join ACTA's Webinar on Intellectual Diversity on May 6th? Register here: https://www.goacta.org/event/no-two-minds-alike/ [https://www.goacta.org/event/no-two-minds-alike/]

Deplatforming Campus Speakers is Censorship!

In this episode of Radio Free Campus, co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison analyze an argument from a Harvard Law Professor claiming efforts to deplatform invited campus speakers are not always censorship, but could be . . . "pre-emptive protest"? The podcast hosts also discuss the results of ACTA's Ohio Report Card, a study of policies and student perspectives on the free expression climates at Ohio State, Kent State, Miami, Cincinnati, and OHIO. Steve and Justin also announce UC Davis Law School as this episode's "Hero of the People" and a UCLA professor as RFC's "Apparatchik of the Month." Want to join ACTA's Webinar on Intellectual Diversity on May 6th? Register here: https://www.goacta.org/event/no-two-minds-alike/ [https://www.goacta.org/event/no-two-minds-alike/] Ohio Report Card: https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/oh-report-card/ [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/oh-report-card/] Ohio Survey: https://www.goacta.org/resource/campus-experience-survey-an-assessment-of-students-at-four-year-public-universities-in-ohio/ [https://www.goacta.org/resource/campus-experience-survey-an-assessment-of-students-at-four-year-public-universities-in-ohio/] UCLA Report Card: https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ucla-report-card/ [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ucla-report-card/] Website: https://www.goacta.org/ [https://www.goacta.org/] Campus Freedom Initiative: https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/] Steve McGuire: https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/] Justin Garrison: https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/]

Controversial Course Topics, Self-Censorship in Class, and Institutional Neutrality—Oh My!

Episode Description: In this episode of Radio Free Campus, co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison analyze a new policy on teaching controversial topics in the University of Texas System. The podcast hosts also discuss what a new survey from Gallup/Lumina reveals about student free speech experiences on their campuses. Steve and Justin also debate an article from Inside Higher Ed that provides a Rawlsian defense of institutional neutrality. The show hosts also announce the University of Wyoming as this episode's "Hero of the People" and a professor from Stanford University as RFC's "Apparatchik of the Month." ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression: UT-Austin [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ut-austin-report-card/] ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression Texas A&M [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/texas-am-university-report-card/] ACTA Gold Standard for Freedom of Expression: University of Wyoming [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/u-of-wyoming-report-card/] Website: https://www.goacta.org/ [https://www.goacta.org/] Campus Freedom Initiative: https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/] Steve McGuire: https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/] Justin Garrison: https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/]

The Fight for Viewpoint Diversity in Higher Ed with guest John Tomasi

In this episode of Radio Free Campus, podcast co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison talk with John Tomasi, President of the Heterodox Academy (HxA) and co-editor of the new book Viewpoint Diversity: What It Is, Why We Need It, and How to Get It, about what viewpoint diversity means (and doesn't mean), where it is lacking on American campuses today, and what people can do to increase viewpoint diversity at colleges and universities now and in the future. Want a copy of Viewpoint Diversity for yourself, a friend, or a professor? Buy it here [https://www.amazon.com/Viewpoint-Diversity-What-Why-Need/dp/1949846911/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8XD2X9X5Y2V0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.F4qwCaRqkKpeG-LTZmoaCkNY6ib7Nw0nogupnC4c0zij1oDMoTAIjl6AX4Ex9EuveZBerGYx3pyKUwqMYDJgp8VbgepQiFlsuqhva2xflI7S_NNVHxt6RD9ejmTIKaOFIpvF85s_DqC5PAONPzMIwQ7Sz79IGBXL6jU6Vuh5Gicf2E5nprmLcsgrEOhf5_Ps4qeV0HF-jb-szUAQD9DNmWoIayw5irB8XpQGqfn1-_U.oRaOiqN4G6fF0N5r_0y4bz0toZoxg-18prdaSWMyltc&dib_tag=se&keywords=viewpoint+diversity&qid=1774358142&sprefix=viewpoint+diversity%2Caps%2C130&sr=8-1]. Website: https://www.goacta.org/ [https://www.goacta.org/] Campus Freedom Initiative: https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/] Steve McGuire: https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/] Justin Garrison: https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/]

Campus Antisemitism Run Amok with guest Sam Abrams

In this episode of Radio Free Campus, podcast co-hosts Steve McGuire and Justin Garrison talk with Sam Abrams, a professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, about the explosion of antisemitism on American college campuses and what campus officials and political leaders should be doing about it. Find Dr. Abrams' recent article on how DEI is bad for the Jewish community here: https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/02/04/when-societys-good-intentions-for-jews-replace-equal-citizenship/ [https://www.algemeiner.com/2026/02/04/when-societys-good-intentions-for-jews-replace-equal-citizenship/] Website: https://www.goacta.org/ [https://www.goacta.org/] Campus Freedom Initiative: https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/ [https://www.goacta.org/campus-freedom-initiative/] Steve McGuire: https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/steven-mcguire/] Justin Garrison: https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/ [https://www.goacta.org/staff/justin-garrison/]