U. of Chicago’s Free-Expression Letter Exposes Fault Lines on Campus

When John Ellison sat down to write a letter welcoming the Class of 2020 to the University of Chicago, he very likely had no idea his words would add fuel to the national debate over academic freedom and the use of safe spaces and trigger warnings in higher education. In short, Chicago isn’t much different from many campuses today as administrators and professors debate how to challenge students intellectually, support a range of viewpoints, foster diversity, and deal with larger social and political issues that affect their communities.