The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression released today its annual list of the “best censors” in the United States in the year just past. Among the recipients of the ironic awards are several actions of censorship related to American higher education. According to a news release issued by the center, which is affiliated with the University of Virginia, they were:

The U.S. Department of Defense, for “investigations and surveillance of organizations solely because of the organizations’ peaceful and legal antiwar protest.” (Chronicle article.)

The Bush administration, for “efforts of discouraging, changing, and sometimes censoring the reports and studies of government scientists in order to make them more supportive of the administration’s political policies.” (Chronicle article.)

The Ohio General Assembly, for “passing a bill requiring new employees at all state agencies, including public universities, to sign a form declaring that one does not have ties to terrorist groups, as defined by the U.S. State Department.” (Chronicle article.)

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, for “its politically correct and arbitrary policy regarding athletic team logos. For example, its decision to allow William & Mary to keep the name ‘The Tribe’ but requiring it to remove two feathers from its logo, while at the same time allowing the Florida State Seminoles to retain its name and a war-painted Seminole Indian mascot.” (Chronicle article.)

—Andrew Mytelka