NCA Executive Committee Statement in Support of Academic Freedom Related to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access

05 June 2026

As the academic year concludes, the National Communications Association (NCA) reiterates its commitment to academic freedom in light of increasing restrictive institutional policies, such as the publicized changes to the Texas Tech University System Course Content Guidelines, that discourage the teaching of topics related to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.

Such policies undermine the foundational principles of higher education and weaken universities’ essential role as spaces for critical thinking, scholarly debate, and intellectual discovery. 

The Executive Committee of the Legislative Assembly (EC) reaffirms NCA’s longstanding commitments articulated in several official resolutions and statements adopted by the Association’s Legislative Assembly. These include the Resolution Regarding State Legislative Limits on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Statement on Affirming the Importance of Academic Freedom within the Classroom, and the Statement on the Protection and Defense of Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression for Communication Scholars. Restrictions on curricular content create conditions in which educators may self-censor out of fear of professional repercussions. Such conditions are antithetical to the values of free and responsible communication, intellectual rigor, and open inquiry that underpin both higher education and democratic participation.

We stand in solidarity with Communication scholars, educators, students, and academic communities impacted by policies that constrain scholarly and pedagogical freedom. The EC strongly urges both academic institutions and other professional organizations to protect the professional autonomy of faculty, preserve the integrity of disciplinary expertise, and uphold institutional commitments to academic freedom, freedom of expression, and inclusive excellence.

As the preeminent scholarly society devoted to the study and teaching of Communication, the EC affirms NCA’s position that academic freedom is indispensable to the mission of higher education and to democracy itself. Communication scholars and educators must retain the ability to teach, research, and discuss complex and sometimes contested ideas without fear of censorship, political retaliation, or institutional intimidation.

Sincerely,
Members of the 2026 NCA Executive Committee

Tina M. Harris, President

Shaunak Sastry, First Vice President

Srividya Ramasubramanian, Second Vice President

Jeanetta D. Sims, Immediate Past President

Kenneth A. Lachlan, Finance Committee Chair

Michael Lechuga, Finance Committee Director

Ambar Basu, , Finance Committee Director

Julie-Ann Scott-Pollock, IDEA Council Chair

Kathleen Glenister Roberts, Mentorship & Leadership Council Chair

John M. Sloop, Publications Council Chair

Katherine S. Thweatt, Teaching & Learning Council Chair