Freshman Orientation Modules

First Amendment Watch, in partnership with Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has developed a series of modules for universities to utilize when teaching incoming students about their free speech rights and the principles behind the First Amendment. Our hope is that universities will adapt the modules most applicable to their institution for use during freshman orientation, first-year seminars, and other campus programs.

To ensure an open and robust campus climate for free expression, incoming students need to understand the importance of exercising their First Amendment rights and respecting the rights of others. Recent controversies surrounding divisive speakers and student protests show the need for this kind of education from the moment students enter college.

Module descriptions

Freshman Orientation: Academic Freedom and Classroom Speech

DOWNLOAD PDF OF MODULE SEE VIDEO VERSION OF MODULE Use: Beyond use during digital or in-person orientations, this lesson can be used for onboarding TAs to give them an overview of […]

Freshman Orientation: Campus Speakers and Counter Protests

Video Version of Module DOWNLOAD PDF FOR THIS MODULE Use: Beyond use during digital or in-person orientations, this lesson can be a tool to teach student government members and student organization […]

Freshman Orientation: FAQ: The First Amendment and Campus Life

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of […]

Freshman Orientation: Limits to Free Speech

Video Version of Module Download PDF for this Module Introductory Statement At [college name] we value your right to participate in expressive activity that challenges orthodoxy and pushes boundaries. We […]

Freshman Orientation: Offensive Speech on Campus

SEE VIDEO VERSION OF MODULE DOWNLOAD PDF OF MODULE Note to Administrators: This module primarily discusses the reasons why offensive speech is protected under the First Amendment. We recommend pairing […]

Freshman Orientation: Recommended Common Reads from FIRE and First Amendment Watch

Fiction Banned Books • “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury (1953) • “1984” by George Orwell (1949) • “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess (1962) • “Brave New World” by Aldous […]

Freshman Orientation: Social Media and Online Speech Rights

Introduction Americans increasingly rely on online speech to receive their news, communicate with their friends and family, explore their interests, and engage in social and political commentary. Social media platforms […]

Freshman Orientation: Student Protest Then and Now

DOWNLOAD PDF OF MODULE Video On October 13, 2014, hundreds of protesters, both students and non-students, gathered around a clock tower on Saint Louis University’s campus in Missouri to protest […]

Freshman Orientation: Talking Across Differences

DOWNLOAD PDF FOR THIS MODULE The [university name] aims to bring together people of different backgrounds, faiths, and opinions because we see diversity as a key component of the mission […]

Freshman Orientation: The Role of Student Publications on Campus

Student journalists and publications play a vital role in informing their fellow students about campus events, serving as a check on their school’s administration, and uncovering stories that outside media […]

Private: Freshman Orientation: FAQ: The First Amendment and Campus Life

These frequently asked questions and answers provide the basic information incoming students need to know about how the First Amendment applies to speech on campus. This FAQ is meant to be used as a reference for students, which administrators can link to or copy for their own sites. FIRE and First Amendment Watch are available to help adapt the language to best suit a particular campus’s needs.

Freshman Orientation: Three Arguments in Defense of Free Expression

As you begin your college career, you should take time to consider what sort of campus culture you would like to help foster, and whether open discourse and debate are important to you and your educational goals. This module offers students three arguments students can use to convince others to look for solutions to problems that involve more speech, rather than censorship.