Putting Principles into Practice: Introduction

Public confidence in higher education has declined substantially in recent years. While the reasons are contested, some of the concerns Americans have expressed, including perceptions of political agendas and constraints on open debate, raise a more fundamental question: Have institutions of higher education undermined public trust by failing to consistently practice the principles they claim to uphold? In response, many college and university leaders are strengthening commitments to academic and expressive freedoms and supporting forums for dialogue and debate.