NMU Organization identified as “Oasis of Excellence”
MARQUETTE — A Northern Michigan University organization has been designated as an “Oasis of Excellence” by a national organization based out of Washington D.C.
The Center for Academic and Intellectual Freedom (CAIF) is an organization on the NMU campus that is active in promoting civic dialogue and robust debate for students.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni, which is an independent non–profit organization that is dedicated to academic freedom, gave the Oasis of Excellence designation after seeing the work the NMU group was doing.
“It’s very encouraging to have such an important organization, based out of Washington D.C., reach out to us here in the U.P,” said English professor and Director of CAIF, Gabriel Brahm. “It shows that while we may not be geographically central, we are at the very center of the most important discussions today about our life, our public life in America, and the meaning of a University education.”
CAIF was founded after the 2016 Presidential election to provide a unique space for thoughtful reflection and reasoned civil dialogue.
“We’re focused on three things that we try to promote: viewpoint diversity, open inquiry, and excellence in higher education,” said Brahm. “In that regard, we’re the antidote to political correctness, because we include conservative as well as liberal voices, and censorship, whether it be explicit or very often implicit. We stand up for seeking the truth and speaking the truth, even if that offends some people.”
Monday, April 22nd, CAIF will be holding their 10th event, when they’ll host author and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Greg Lukianoff in Jamrich Hall at 7 p.m. Lukianoff and his co-author Jonathan Haidt wrote the book The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure.
For more information on CAIF and their future events, click here.