Professor Timothy R. Cain co-authored Academic Freedom & Collective Bargaining, a joint report recently published by the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions and the American Association of University Professors’ (AAUP) Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom (CDAF). The report is designed to demonstrate the range of ways that academic freedom is being addressed in collectively bargaining contracts and is a vital resource for negotiators seeking to codify core faculty rights in today’s shifting higher education landscape.
This comprehensive report contextualizes, analyzes, and presents academic freedom language from 45 contracts bargained by unions representing faculty, graduate employees, postdoctoral workers, and other closely related workers. It considers the inclusion of specific provisions, alignment with AAUP policies, and the available enforcement mechanisms in the contracts. The full report, which Cain and colleagues introduced and discussed at the National Center’s recent annual meeting in New York City, is available online and can be accessed here: https://www.aaup.org/sites/default/files/2026-03/NationalConference_CDAF_Academic_Freedom_and_Collective_Bargaining_Report.pdf
As a CDAF Fellow, Cain has contributed to several major initiatives beyond the report. Most notably, he is a co-editor of an upcoming volume under contract with Rutgers University Press, alongside McBee Institute alum Barrett Taylor and Demetri Morgan. The book will feature chapters written by CDAF fellows that reflect the Center’s ongoing scholarly engagement with academic freedom issues in higher education. Cain has also participated in the Academic Freedom on the Line podcast and newsletter, CDAF-sponsored webinars, and the development of timely materials responding to emerging and ongoing challenges. A particular focus has been the changing accreditation landscape and the implications for educational quality and institutional autonomy.
Through his work with CDAF, Cain continues to contribute to national conversations shaping the future of academic freedom and shared governance. His scholarship and public engagement reflect a sustained commitment to ensuring that academic freedom is not only articulated as a principle, but also meaningfully protected through policy, practice, and collective action.
