Can Universities Change Without Government Intervention? With Mary Kate Cary | Ep 41

How can universities rekindle public trust and foster genuine viewpoint diversity, without relying on government mandates? Today’s guest is Mary Kate Cary, adjunct professor at the University of Virginia (UVA), seasoned presidential speechwriter, and co-chair of Heterodox Academy’s campus community at UVA. John Tomasi and Mary Kate examine the urgent need to move beyond top-down reforms and build cultures of open inquiry from the ground up.

Drawing on recent Gallup polling that shows public confidence in higher education has plummeted from 60% to 32%, Mary Kate argues for bottom-up solutions rooted in the distinctive ethos and history of each campus. She shares examples of innovative, student-facing programming at UVA, such as “Think Again,” “Free Speech Fridays,” and “Disagree with the Professor,” that encourage intellectual humility, critical thinking, and constructive disagreement.

The conversation provides actionable insights for faculty, administrators, and students committed to strengthening open inquiry and viewpoint diversity, highlighting the role of both faculty leadership and supportive administration in achieving durable change.

In This Episode:

💥 Public trust and viewpoint diversity in higher education

💥 Adapting free speech principles to unique campus histories

💥 Bottom-up versus top-down academic reforms

💥 Student engagement initiatives: “Think Again” and “Free Speech Fridays”

💥 Co-teaching across political divides at UVA

💥 Institutional neutrality and its impact on campus culture

💥 Partnerships with BridgeUSA, Braver Angels, and Disagree Better

About Mary Kate: