[insane_dreamer]

> are free from ideological biases,

you're missing the point.

Universities are free to have their own ideological biases. Some will certainly be biased in one direction. Others in another. Students aren't forced to go to a given university -- there any many to choose from.

But when the gov forces its ideological biases on Universities, then it begins to remove choice for students. It might start with only a dozen, but if successful, it will push on others, until it becomes the de-facto requirement to get government funding.

That is totalitarianism.

[nine_k]

Having a bias and pursuing truth can interfere with each other, that was my point.

[baubino]

University research is conducted in pursuit of knowledge not truth. While there are overlaps, there is a distinction. The pursuit of knowledge allows us to question, consider, discuss, analyze, critique, etc, even if (and especially when) we are unsure of the truth or if there isn’t a “truth”to be attained. The pursuit of knowledge also allows us to study why and how something is false.