Increasingly, campuses have imposed informal, verbal directives that govern faculty instruction and speech, a trend that critics say creates fear and undermines shared governance. Administrators are issuing murky policies without formal documentation, leaving faculty uncertain about enforcement and consequences. Boards and trustees are being urged to revisit definitions of academic freedom and governance documents. The AAUP’s classic principles remain a reference point, but institutions are grappling with how to balance discipline‑specific speech protections with extramural speech and evolving political pressures.