<p>In one case, several student staff members, including the editor-in-chief, were suspended (from the newspaper, I believe, not from the school) for allowing an advertisement for NOW to be run. In another a large number of student staff members resigned after being criticized by the school administration for running an opinion column regarding the "morning after" pill. I suppose I could have used the words "censored," or "intimidated" although I'm not sure that would change the analysis. And again, I don't disagree that a private University has the right to do this. I simply think that no one should expect otherwise.</p>
<p>
[quote]
University of Notre Dame is one
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No, it's not.</p>
<p>Georgetown, indisputably.</p>
<p>BC
Fordham
St. Louis
Marquette</p>
<p>Academic freedom normally pertains to the freedom of faculty and students to express ideals and opinions in class without fear of recrimination, being fired, denied tenure, being dismissed as a student. Of course, there are clear bounds of reason. You cant march around in a Gestapo uniform, sporting a swastika and expect to claim "academic freedom" as a defense. </p>
<p>I do know of cases at UNC-Chapel Hill where there has been harassment of conservative faculty and conservative students. Is that academic freedom too?</p>
<p>I suppose it depends on how closely you wish to shave the word, so to speak and how broadly or narrowly one defines academic freedom. But rest assured, particularly in comparison to other religious institutions, Jesuit schools are very much open minded and respectful of many views, even if they disagree. </p>
<p>I dont know about the specifics of denying NOW to advertise in the student paper, and that depends on the content of that specific advertisement. If NOW was advertising in support of abortion, then the school has every right to ask it to be removed. Just as they would for a neo-nazi who wanted to advertise nazi ideals and the swastika.</p>
<p>But I would be very cautious about suggesting that Jesuit schools are not supportive of academic freedom. In fact the VAST majority of faculty at Jesuit schools (whether priests or lay professors) are overwhelmingly liberal in their political posture. Asking students to be respectful of such high voltage topics as abortion, at least in the context of advertising for abortion services, is not a matter of academic freedom, its a matter of respecting the rules of the house where you are a "guest". It has nothing to do with the school stating to students that they all must adhere to pro life postures and are forbidden from arguing a pro choice posture in class, in term papers or on exams in the appropriate context. I have NEVER heard of a case where that occurred. </p>
<p>I will tell you that being a conservative, that my D regularly states that most conservative students when they gather in social settings together regularly complain that they are full of fear to express their opinions to liberal professors for fear of hidden recrimination in harsh grading, where it is very easy to disguise hostility to a student's academic freedom.</p>
<p>Thankfullly, my D has learned the art of logical persuasion and makes her arguments very clean and tight and bravely challenges viewpoints that she does not agree with, always being respectful of course. And thankfully, she has only once experienced overt bias and prejudice, from a lay philosophy professor who was extremely liberal. She took her medicine, argued with him after the course was over, complained to the Dean and slammed him on Ratemyprofessor.com. He got what he deserved.</p>
<p>I am not familiar enough with Marquette University to speak with authority on the culture there and the faculty. I only knew one professor who came from there and he was a gem. I strongly recommend Jesuit education to catholics and non catholics and non believers alike. </p>
<p>Thank you for your civil commentary, though we disagree.</p>
<p>University of Notre Dame is run by the Holy Cross Fathers. The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester Mass is a Jesuit school. Therein lies some of the confusion.</p>
<p>bbq, I agree that strictly speaking "academic freedom" could be defined as what happens in the classroom, but most every college I know of goes out of its way to trumpet that the college experience is much broader, and certainly Jesuit universities strive for that (and in many commendably positive ways). But if that's true, then one should have no doubt of the (idea) chilling message that such actions as noted must send to the student body. Now, in fairness, Marquette has also maintained on its faculty a professor who argues that Catholic theology allows abortion in some circumstances, much to the distress of the local bishop and many others, within and outside the university, although his tenure probably binds the University's hands in some respects. </p>
<p>Lest anyone misinterpret my comments, let me say that I believe Marquette is a fine institution. As a matter of fact, it's where my Dad went to school. </p>
<p>Also, I think you are conflating academic freedom (or trammeled inquiry) with political orientation. I don't believe either "side" inherently stands in any different position in this regard.</p>
<p>Santa Clara is also a very good jesuit. It has a beautiful campus and is in a great location, right outside San Jose and San Fran.</p>
<p>MilwDad - Private schools have the right to impose this kind of censorship, but they would certainly do it at the risk of their reputations nationally. I have the sense that the scenario you described would be highly unlikely at Georgetown. Would you agree?</p>
<p>I probably would agree, gadad. I'm not sure that makes me respect Georgetown more or less, however.</p>
<p>Complete list of the 28 Jesuit colleges in USA can be seen here: </p>
<p>[Jesuit</a> Colleges and Universities Quiz Results - sporcle](<a href=“http://www.sporcle.com/games/jesuit_colleges_results.php]Jesuit”>http://www.sporcle.com/games/jesuit_colleges_results.php)</p>
<p>I’ll be going to Le Moyne College, a Jesuit college come August. I didn’t apply to any others (I didn’t know anything about the Jesuit colleges/universities, I just knew Le Moyne struck my fancy), but I feel that it’s a very strong school. Not as highly rated as many of the other Jesuit institutions, but I absolutely love it. And some majors, such as nursing are quite selective. We (the nursing majors who went to one of the open discussions about the “learning community” for nursing) were told that there were over 300 applicants for the nursing program, and 46 were admitted.</p>
<p>Personally, since I am attending a Jesuit university in the fall myself, I would go with the advice of the above posts and evaluate those following schools not according to their prestige, but rather, with whatever guidelines that you have defined in selecting your idea of an “ideal university” for you.</p>
<p>I selected Boston College for its mixture of academic rigor, vicinity to home, and Division 1 sports scene. </p>
<p>But regardless, I would rank the given schools in this order:</p>
<p>Boston College
Fordham
Marquette
St. Louis</p>