A federal judge paused West Point’s policy requiring civilian professors to obtain approval before speaking at certain outside engagements. U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel issued a preliminary injunction ordering West Point to halt enforcement of the approval requirement tied to faculty speaking on “disciplinary areas of expertise,” as well as an informal policy limiting faculty sharing personal opinions while teaching. The case centers on professor Tim Bakken, a civilian who has worked at West Point since 2000. Bakken sued in September, arguing the policies infringe on First Amendment rights for civilian faculty. The judge denied West Point’s motion to dismiss and wrote Bakken’s case is “likely to succeed” on the merits. The approval policy, instituted via institutional memo on Feb. 13, 2025, required department-head approval before external engagements such as journal publications, conference presentations and opinion editorials when faculty would identify as West Point professors. West Point officials previously defended the policy as a notice requirement rather than a sanction mechanism.