Substantive democracy on campus — in which students, faculty members, and staff are meaningful participants in the governance of the university — is the only way to realize the values of academic freedom and freedom of speech that are so widely touted by university leaders and the donors and politicians whom they serve.
Substantive democracy on campus — in which students, faculty members, and staff are meaningful participants in the governance of the university — is the only way to realize the values of academic freedom and freedom of speech that are so widely touted by university leaders and the donors and politicians whom they serve. The rapid spread of collective bargaining at universities is the most important step already taken in this direction, and unions are a crucial shield against administrative repression. Still, if the university’s role as a place for the free development of critical thought and democratic citizenship is to be taken seriously, then meaningful, democratic representation for students, faculty, and staff on university boards is probably the only institutional mechanism that can secure it. The people who make up the actual life of the institution should hold a majority, not merely a token seat or two.
https://www-chronicle-com.proxy.cc.uic.edu/article/why-students-must-shout-to-be-heard