Academic Freedom and the Law: An Encore Presentation

When:  Apr 21, 2026 from 01:00 PM to 02:00 PM (ET)
This encore presentation of Academic Freedom and the Law is a part of the Academic Freedom Initiative, created in response to increasing constraints on educator preparation programs and designed to support members in navigating the legal and practical complexities of academic freedom in higher education.

This webinar will explore key questions, including how the law protects academic freedom, whether DEI-related policies may be unlawfully discriminatory, and the extent to which universities may regulate speech related to race or gender. Participants may submit questions during registration or during the webinar.

Moderator:


Anne Tapp-Jaksa, Ph.D.
Professor
Saginaw Valley State University
Past Chair, AACTE Board of Directors

Anne Tapp Jaksa is a professor of Teacher Education at Saginaw Valley State University, teaching in both graduate and undergraduate programs in the College of Education. She currently serves as chair of the AACTE Board of Directors and is past chair of the AACTE Advisory Council of State Representatives (ACSR) Executive Committee. She previously served as ACSR Midwest Region representative and as president of the Michigan Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (MACTE). Tapp Jaksa is NASA JPL Education’s Educator in Residence and serves on the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Board of Directors. She is also Director of Professional Development for the University of Michigan Center for Digital Curricula and codirector of the SVSU Center for Experience Research & Design. Her research interests include continuous improvement, STEM, and technology integration. A frequent national and international presenter, she has published widely and remains active as a board member and volunteer in educational communities, and as Director of the SVSU Center for Experience Research & Design. Her research interests include continuous improvement, STEM, and technology integration. 

Speakers:



David D. Cole, J.D.
Professor
Georgetown University

David Cole is the Honorable George J. Mitchell Professor of Law and Public Policy and the former National Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (2017–2024). One of the nation’s most influential voices on constitutional law and civil liberties, he brings deep expertise on free speech, equality, national security, and the Supreme Court.

A frequent contributor to The New York Review of Books and legal affairs correspondent for The Nation, Cole has published widely in leading academic journals and major national media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. He is the author or editor of ten books, several award-winning, including Enemy Aliens and Less Safe, Less Free.

Cole has argued landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including Texas v. Johnson, Bostock v. Clayton County, and National Rifle Association v. Vullo. Renowned for his clarity and insight, he brings legal doctrine to life for diverse audiences.



David M. Rabban, J.D.
Professor
The University of Texas at Austin, School of Law

David Rabban is a nationally recognized scholar and authority on free speech, academic freedom, and higher education law. He served for many years as counsel to the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and later as its general counsel from 1998 to 2006, followed by chair of the AAUP Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure from 2006 to 2012. He joined the University of Texas School of Law faculty in 1983.

His teaching and scholarship focus on the constitutional foundations of free expression, the legal rights of faculty and institutions, and American legal history. He is the author of the award-winning Free Speech in Its Forgotten Years, 1870–1920, and numerous influential articles published in leading law journals, including Yale Law Journal and Stanford Law Review.

Professor Rabban’s most recent book, Academic Freedom: From Professional Norm to First Amendment Right (2024), offers timely insight into current debates shaping higher education today.




Caroline Laguerre-Brown, J.D. 
Principal and CEO
Designing Equity, LLC

Caroline Laguerre-Brown is the principal and CEO of Designing Equity, LLC, a consulting firm focused on higher education. She brings extensive legal and compliance expertise, particularly in diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-discrimination policy. Caroline has led the development of institutional policies, educational programs, and risk management strategies for national associations, universities, and corporations. A skilled facilitator, she trains leaders and teams on sexual harassment prevention, unconscious bias, and anti-racism, and supports executives in crisis communication and reputational risk management.

Laguerre-Brown previously served as vice provost for Diversity, Equity, and Community Engagement at George Washington University, overseeing key student-facing departments and leading major reforms to the university’s sexual harassment and diversity policies. Before that, she was Vice Provost and Chief Diversity Officer at Johns Hopkins University, where she launched essential training initiatives and diversity programs.

She serves on multiple national boards and holds degrees from SUNY Binghamton and the University of Virginia School of Law.