Public opinion and images of the American professoriate

National opinion poll data provide access to the public images of the American professoriate. These data recorded images of college professors as trustworthy, honest, and engaged in important work through college teaching, research, and service but also recorded hesitations toward granting full academic freedom to teachers holding controversial ideas. The impact of events, such as the publication of ProfScan and other critical reports, can be determined through longitudinal measures of the image of college teachers. © 1998 Human Sciences Press, Inc.