University trustees are mostly notable for their lack of effort to steer their schools in the right direction. Mostly, they enjoy the perks but don’t care to get involved in serious work.

It’s a pleasure to find a board of trustees that acts differently. In today’s Martin Center article, Jenna Robinson writes about the advances that the board of trustees at Coastal Carolina have made in elevating freedom of speech at the university. It is now, she observes, one of the best in the country for free speech and open inquiry. No compelled speech or mandatory “training” on contentious issues; no free-speech zones.

Most interestingly, the board has a directive for the university’s president. Robinson explains:

The board also charged the university president with “developing a proposal for the future expansion of the Cincinnatus Center” to broaden its work on civic education and civil discourse. Two important directives include promoting “civil discourse and constructive debate” and “ensuring that Coastal Carolina University serves as a robust marketplace of Ideas.” In so doing, the board affirmed the university’s mission to prepare students for responsible citizenship:
The Board of Trustees of Coastal Carolina University holds that civic education is a historic commitment of higher education because a well-informed and virtuous citizenry is essential for a well-functioning democratic society.

Good developments!