How Corporate Money Threatens Academic Freedom
Joan Donovan | 23 May 2024 | The Harvard Crimson
Universities have long championed the idea that knowledge is power. As a former Harvard researcher who fell out of favor at the Kennedy School after daring to uncover information Meta would rather keep secret, I have seen first-hand where the limits of that support lie.
Academic freedom only holds weight if every member of the academic community is committed to safeguarding academic freedom from external pressures.
At Harvard, defending academic freedom is crucial. Today, universities worldwide are subject to significant influence from corporations, donors, and governments, shaping research agendas and educational missions. For Harvard to move past recent scandals and upheavals, it must prioritize the protection of academic freedom for all, a duty shared by faculty, students, staff, and administrators alike…