found that in 2018-19, of 893 qualified applicants for a life-sciences faculty post at the University of California, Berkeley, “679 were eliminated solely due to insufficiently woke diversity, equity and inclusion statements.” Though Arizona’s university officials at least appear to have rolled back this requirement following blowback, commitments to leftist activism are still enforced in other ways, usually through opportunities and promotions being withheld.
The result is an environment of fear and self-censorship on college campuses, which has led to a significant drop in academic seriousness. In fact, 1 in 6 professors report having been disciplined or threatened with discipline for their speech, according to the FIRE, and 1 in 3 reported having been pressured by colleagues to avoid researching topics that could be deemed controversial.
College students, too, are self-censoring at alarming rates, with 42% of conservative students saying they refrain from sharing their thoughts inside and outside the classroom for fear of backlash from their peers or college administrators.This is a dire picture — one that demands immediate correction.