A new Center for American Progress report argues that politicized governing boards have eroded academic freedom at public universities and recommends structural safeguards to limit trustee authority over curriculum and research. Recommendations include clarifying faculty primacy on academic matters, depoliticizing appointment processes, and protecting tenure and shared governance mechanisms. The CAP analysis cites recent episodes where governing boards in multiple states intervened in hiring, curriculum and tenure decisions, producing program closures and faculty departures. In parallel, faculty commentators and governance critics have published reflections urging reform of senates and shared‑governance practices to strengthen institutional resilience. University presidents and board chairs should consider the report’s governance safeguards to reduce political interference, restore faculty trust, and protect institutional autonomy while maintaining board oversight of financial and legal responsibilities.