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“Learning from a diversity of viewpoints, and from the deliberation, debate, and dissent that accompany them, is an essential ingredient of academic excellence.”
— Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Free Expression (June 24, 2022)
MIT has a long tradition of celebrating provocative thinking and nonconformity. As noted in the 1949 Lewis Report, the Institute’s mission is to “encourage initiative, to promote the spirit of free and objective inquiry, to recognize and provide opportunities for unusual interests and aptitudes… to develop individuals who will contribute creatively to our society.”
In this spirit, we celebrate the open exploration of scientific, social, and ethical truths that advance human understanding. We believe that a commitment to freedom of expression is integral to our mission and community. At the same time, we deeply value a culture of civility, mutual respect, and compassion alongside the robust exchange of views.
The purpose of this site is to help our community understand what freedom of expression means at MIT. We recommend starting by reading the MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom, which was adopted by the faculty in December 2022. For more detail, the Report of the MIT Ad Hoc Working Group on Free Expression is also a useful resource.
The Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Freedom and Campus Expression (CAFCE) brings together students, faculty, and staff to explore ways to support community members in the challenges and opportunities of free expression. This website was created to centralize information, clarify policies, and provide thoughtful perspectives on challenging scenarios. These perspectives reflect the discussions of the CAFCE working group and are not meant to exclude other viewpoints.
