Defunding of Student Newspaper Violates First Amendment, Says Watchdog Group
An independent student newspaper lost its funding in a recent referendum vote, and the process violates the First Amendment, says Freedom for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). Since The Daily Targumbroke free from Rutgers University in 1980, it has had to rely on funding from the student body, which votes every three years on whether to allocate student fees to fund the newspaper. In order to qualify for funding, at least 25 percent of the student body has to vote on the referendum. But following a two-year campaign by a right-leaning student group to deny funding for the student newspaper, for the first time in 39 years, voter turnout was too low to qualify the publication for funding.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Embroiled in Free Speech Controversy
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the latest college campus to become embroiled in a free speech controversy. During a campus event celebrating Israel’s independence, a student held up a […]
Nonprofit Sues University of Illinois Over “Unconstitutional” Student Policies
Speech First, a conservative legal organization, sued the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign over its free speech policies. The group objects to the University’s position on political pamphlets, its bias reporting system, and its no-contact policy for students accused of bias. “On a regular basis, the University of Illinois sends a clear message to students who wish to engage in political and religious speech: there are some views that are welcome, and others that are not," Speech First President Nicole Neily said in a statement. "Students deserve to be able to express themselves and voice their opinions without fear of investigation or punishment – which is why these policies must be reformed.”
New Survey on Free Expression On College Campuses Reveals Gender, Race, And Religion Divisions
The Knight Foundation released a new report, “Free Expression on College Campuses,” that examines students’ views on topic like hate speech and inclusion. In conjunction with College Pulse, a mobile-first […]
Student Protesters at Harvard Disrupt Discussion And Cause Venue Change
In early April, a group of student protesters at Harvard disrupted a discussion between two administrators who were going to discuss how universities could promote economic opportunity. The event, which […]
As Promised, Trump Signs Contentious Executive Order on Campus Free Speech
President Trump vowed to sign an executive order requiring American colleges and universities to protect free speech on campus, and would withhold federal research funds from schools that don't comply. “Today, I am proud to announce that I will be very soon be signing an executive order requiring colleges and universities to support free speech if they want federal research funds,” Trump said in his remarks at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, known as CPAC.
New Knight Study Released on The Future of the First Amendment
The Future of the First Amendment: 2018 Report of High School Students and Teachers report examines how high school students' attitudes about the First Amendment, censorship, and the news environment are changing and what that means for the future of democracy.
Settlement Reached In UC Berkeley On-Campus Speaker Policy Suit
UC Berkeley and conservative groups Young America’s Foundation and Berkeley College Republicans have reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought by the groups against the university, claiming discriminatory practices that […]