Margo Gray

On every college campus, there are professors whose reputation extends far beyond their department. At Duke, that professor was Evan Charney, a fixture in the public policy department for nearly two decades. He was something of an academic celebrity at a school that typically reserves worship for its basketball stars. Friends who took his class couldn't stop talking about it.

On every college campus, there are professors whose reputation extends far beyond their department. At Duke, that professor was Evan Charney, a fixture in the public policy department for nearly two decades. He was something of an academic celebrity at a school that typically reserves worship for its basketball stars. Friends who took his class couldn't stop talking about it.

On every college campus, there are professors whose reputation extends far beyond their department. At Duke, that professor was Evan Charney, a fixture in the public policy department for nearly two decades. He was something of an academic celebrity at a school that typically reserves worship for its basketball stars. Friends who took his class couldn't stop talking about it.

His class makes you think differently, they'd say. Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about. But, just as I was about to enroll, I heard the news. Evan Charney was being pushed out. I'm Margo Gray. This week on Campus Files, the story of Evan Charney and what it says about the future of academic freedom in higher education. When you were a kid, what did you imagine becoming?

His class makes you think differently, they'd say. Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about. But, just as I was about to enroll, I heard the news. Evan Charney was being pushed out. I'm Margo Gray. This week on Campus Files, the story of Evan Charney and what it says about the future of academic freedom in higher education. When you were a kid, what did you imagine becoming?

His class makes you think differently, they'd say. Naturally, I had to see what all the fuss was about. But, just as I was about to enroll, I heard the news. Evan Charney was being pushed out. I'm Margo Gray. This week on Campus Files, the story of Evan Charney and what it says about the future of academic freedom in higher education. When you were a kid, what did you imagine becoming?

An astronaut? A soccer player? A rock star? Personally, I wanted to be a famous chef. Evan Charney? His childhood dream was a bit more unconventional. He wanted to be an ethologist. That's a zoologist who studies animal behavior in the wild. I had to look it up.

An astronaut? A soccer player? A rock star? Personally, I wanted to be a famous chef. Evan Charney? His childhood dream was a bit more unconventional. He wanted to be an ethologist. That's a zoologist who studies animal behavior in the wild. I had to look it up.

An astronaut? A soccer player? A rock star? Personally, I wanted to be a famous chef. Evan Charney? His childhood dream was a bit more unconventional. He wanted to be an ethologist. That's a zoologist who studies animal behavior in the wild. I had to look it up.

Once Charney entered academia, he never looked back. He earned his undergraduate degree from Hunter College, then went on to get a doctorate and a master's degree from Harvard University, before joining Duke's faculty in 1999.

Once Charney entered academia, he never looked back. He earned his undergraduate degree from Hunter College, then went on to get a doctorate and a master's degree from Harvard University, before joining Duke's faculty in 1999.

Once Charney entered academia, he never looked back. He earned his undergraduate degree from Hunter College, then went on to get a doctorate and a master's degree from Harvard University, before joining Duke's faculty in 1999.

The first course he taught, Policy Choices Value Conflict, was the undergraduate ethics course for all public policy majors. It was an introduction to moral philosophy and its application to some of the greatest contemporary moral dilemmas, issues ranging from abortion to seatbelt laws to physicians' assisted suicide to hate speech.

The first course he taught, Policy Choices Value Conflict, was the undergraduate ethics course for all public policy majors. It was an introduction to moral philosophy and its application to some of the greatest contemporary moral dilemmas, issues ranging from abortion to seatbelt laws to physicians' assisted suicide to hate speech.

The first course he taught, Policy Choices Value Conflict, was the undergraduate ethics course for all public policy majors. It was an introduction to moral philosophy and its application to some of the greatest contemporary moral dilemmas, issues ranging from abortion to seatbelt laws to physicians' assisted suicide to hate speech.

The class was designed to give students the tools to make coherent and consistent arguments on multiple sides of any issue.

The class was designed to give students the tools to make coherent and consistent arguments on multiple sides of any issue.

The class was designed to give students the tools to make coherent and consistent arguments on multiple sides of any issue.

Charney believes that when most students entered his classroom, they had never really been challenged on their foundational moral beliefs. They were in what he liked to call a dogmatic slumber. The objective of his course was to wake them up.

Charney believes that when most students entered his classroom, they had never really been challenged on their foundational moral beliefs. They were in what he liked to call a dogmatic slumber. The objective of his course was to wake them up.