AAUP Opposes Accreditor's Intellectual Diversity Proposal

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is opposing a higher education accreditor's proposal to evaluate universities on 'intellectual diversity' and 'intellectual pluralism.' The AAUP argues that institutions should not be expected to prioritize intellectual pluralism on settled scholarly questions, connecting the term to conservative criticisms of colleges and universities. The proposed rule changes from the U.S. Department of Education would require accreditors to assess policies supporting intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas among faculty.