The President’s Forum Presents: “Are Colleges and Universities Too Liberal?”

This conversation will explore the politically liberal bias among faculty and professional staff on America’s college campuses — examining why it exists and whether it’s a problem. We will consider such questions as: How and why has the progressive orientation of faculty increased over time? Does this imbalance affect research, teaching, learning, and, ultimately, students’ political views? Should universities actively encourage greater ideological diversity among faculty and professional staff? How can we rehabilitate the image of higher education so that more families are comfortable sending their young people to college?

An esteemed panel of experts will explore these questions and more in the next installment of the UNE President’s Forum series, “Are Colleges and Universities Too Liberal?” to be held on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025.

UNE is privileged to welcome a panel of national thought leaders in this subject area for the discussion. 

Panelists

• Samuel J. Abrams, Ph.D., professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute 
• Emma Camp, B.A., assistant editor at Reason magazine
• Brandon Jett, Ph.D., history professor from Florida 
• Lynn Pasquerella, Ph.D., president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities; former president of Mount Holyoke College

This conversation will embody UNE’s hallmark Marketplace of Ideas initiative, which reflects the University’s core belief that exposure to differing perspectives is essential to personal growth and meaningful education.

Jennifer DeBurro, Ed.D. ’24, dean of students at UNE and vice president for Student Affairs, will moderate the discussion, which will include ample opportunity for audience participation through comments and questions. 

DeBurro has worked with college students for over 20 years and recently earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from UNE. She has served as the national volunteer coordinator of NASPA, a leading organization of student affairs professionals in higher education, and is the past co-director of the Maine Association of Student Personnel Administrators.