2022-2023

On March 21st, 4:30 to 6:00 pm, in the Sun Ballroom St. Olaf hosted a workshop on the ways academic freedom, religious identity, and teaching and learning intersect. The event began with a lecture by Elizabeth Niehaus, Associate Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Nebraska, who delivered a talk titled,  “Academic Freedom and Inclusion: Centering the Student Experience in Challenging Classroom Conversations.”   Next, over a catered dinner, participants formed small groups and discussed prompts intended to elicit the perspectives of St. Olaf students, staff, and faculty. Finally, participants reconvened for a question-and-answer session with a panel including Dr. Niehaus and other St. Olaf faculty and staff to further the conversation about how we should define the norms and limits of academic freedom at St. Olaf.

This event was co-sponsored by the Lutheran Center, the Institute for Freedom and Community, and the Center for Innovation in the Liberal Arts.