Rice University senior Trevor Tobey joined a White House roundtable on higher education Dec. 3, offering a student perspective in a national conversation about open inquiry on U.S. campuses. Tobey, who serves as Rice’s Student Association president and majors in economics and sport management, was one of only a few student leaders invited to participate alongside university administrators and policy representatives.
The roundtable, entitled “Biased Professors, Woke Administrators, and the End of Free Inquiry on U.S. Campuses," brought together stakeholders from across the country to discuss the importance of open discourse and the role of universities in cultivating environments where students can ask questions, challenge ideas and learn through inquiry.
“It’s critical for universities to be part of these conversations, and Rice can be a model for schools around the country,” Tobey said. “Our leadership has taken important steps to protect open inquiry and free speech on campus, and I’ve been proud to support that work through the Student Association.”
Tobey’s approach to the discussion was deeply connected to Rice’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning. The university encourages students to ask and refine questions, analyze information using disciplinary methods and reflect on how ideas take shape. These practices help students engage fully in the creation of knowledge and prepare them to participate in national conversations where evidence and intellectual humility matter.
“I’m grateful for the chance to represent Rice and to contribute a student perspective to this national conversation, and I remain hopeful that we can strengthen our campuses, so every student can pursue truth without fear,” Tobey said. “I think the ability to have open conversations and conditions for free speech is fundamental for students to challenge each other and wrestle with big ideas. That’s how we pursue truth, and that’s how universities succeed.”
Tobey’s presence at the roundtable affirmed a defining strength of the Rice experience: When students learn to lead through inquiry, their perspectives carry weight far beyond the hedges.