Professors worry about political interference in higher education, finds survey of Southern states

William T. Young Library at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. (Mark Cornelison | UK Photo)

Professors in the South are increasingly worried about political interference in higher education, according to a new survey released by southern chapters of the American Association of University Professors.

The survey, which included responses from nearly 3,000 faculty members, found that about 70% of respondents signaled dissatisfaction with the political atmosphere around higher education and rated it “poor or very poor.” Additionally, about 55% of survey respondents said they were disappointed in their school’s administration for “not adequately defending academic freedom and tenure.”

According to a news release, 109 respondents were from Kentucky. AAUP chapters that participated in the survey included Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas.

The survey results come on the heels of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives coming drawing fire from Republicans in Kentucky and across the nation. In recent weeks, the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University announced plans to close their diversity offices amid pressure from Republican lawmakers.

Two anti-DEI bills were debated by Kentucky lawmakers in the 2024 session but died without being approved. However, one policy change did pass as part of a postsecondary funding bill . It changed the formula for performance-based funding of universities by prohibiting the use of “any race-based metrics or targets.”

Another GOP-backed measure in Kentucky that would have allowed universities to remove faculty for not meeting certain “productivity requirements” did not come out of the House Education Committee last session. Some critics saw it as a path to end tenure in Kentucky.

Among its overall survey results, the AAUP chapters found that 60% of respondents would not recommend their state “as a desirable place to work for colleagues.” About 28% of respondents had reported they applied for academic jobs in another state since 2022, and another 28% are planning to do so in the coming year. Of those who had applied to another state, the top five destinations were California, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Illinois.

More than 27% of respondents reported that they do not plan to stay in academia longterm.

Respondents could list multiple reasons why they were seeking employment elsewhere. The top issue was salary at 56.5%, followed by the state’s political climate at 53.3% and academic freedom at 49.6%. DEI and shared governance issues were mentioned by about 30% of respondents.

Over the summer, the UK Board of Trustees gave its final approval to a new shared governance model that stripped faculty of power over academic decisions by dismantling the University Senate and instating a weaker faculty senate.

The survey was conducted during state AAUP conferences Aug. 12-30 through social media and email. About 17% of the respondents said they were non-white and 51% were female. More than 60% said they had a tenured position.