The Open Academy advances Claremont McKenna College’s mission to prepare this generation to meet the challenges of the future world of affairs and for roles of responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions in increasingly diverse and globally oriented social, political, and economic environments. The CMC Commitments to Freedom of Expression, Viewpoint Diversity, and Constructive Dialogue are interdependent. Free expression alone without a commitment to listen to different viewpoints cannot overcome the challenges of our time.
As a campus-wide initiative, this learning happens across all spheres of the student experience, including the Athenaeum, CARE Center, and Presidential Initiative on Anti-Racism and the Black Experience in America.
In September 2021, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) ranked CMC #1 for free speech in the nation, with an overall score that outpaced last year’s top school, the University of Chicago.