May 2024 Newsletter

June 03, 2024 4 min read

May 2024 Newsletter

May 30, 2024

To Princetonians for Free Speech Subscribers, members and friends,

Reunions 2024 was a huge success for PFS! About 130 people attended our first on-campus Reunion event, “You Can’t Teach That! The Battle over University Classrooms,” with Keith E. Whittington and Jonathan Rauch. See details in the special feature below.We will let you know as soon as the event is posted on YouTube. In the meantime, see Whittington’s May 10 article in the Daily Princetonian: Civil Disobedience Has Consequences.

Did Reunions 2024 include protests that crossed the line into civil disobedience? Yes. Princeton Alumni Weekly reported that pro-Palestinian protestors delayed the start of the P-rade, disrupted President Eisgruber’s presentation in Alexander Hall, painted graffiti on Roberston Hall and dyed the fountain red. But the many thousands of alums did not let these intrusions by a few protesters put a damper on their fun. 


A Special Feature

On Saturday May 25,Keith E. Whittington, a leading constitutional scholar and author of Speak Freely: Why Universities Must Defend Free Speech, appeared in discussion withJonathan Rauch, prize-winning author, most recently of The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth. Whittington’s new book, You Can’t Teach That!  The Battle Over University Classrooms prompted a lively discussion about the most pressing free speech and academic freedom issues facing private and public universities today. Whittington’s departure from Princeton for Yale this summer is a big loss for Princeton.

 

What You Should Know

PFS’s second annual survey of Princeton students, conducted by College Pulse, will be released in two weeks.  We will send you a Special Alert when this happens. In the meantime, preliminary results show a few encouraging signs, for example, more students think free speech is important to the mission of a university. However, overall there has been little or no progress on key measurements of free speech on the Princeton campus, with some results marginally worse. PFS will be reiterating its suggestions for concrete steps Princeton can take to improve the climate for free speech and academic freedom on campus.

Here is a link to the 2023 survey.

 

Maria Ressa ‘86, Philippine journalist, Nobel Laureate and free speech advocate, has been criticized for her commencement address at Harvard – for supporting censorship.

Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa Calls on Harvard Graduate to Support Censorship in the Name of Democracy

By Jonathan Turley, May 25, 2024

 

Rabbi Zarchi Confronted Maria Ressa, Walked Off Stage Over Her Harvard Commencement Speech | News

By Neil H. Shah, Harvard Crimson, May 24, 2024

 

Articles of Interest

 

In big win for campus free speech, Harvard won’t issue statements on hot-button social and political issues

By Angel Eduardo, FIRE, May 28, 2024

The policy change could spark similar reforms throughout higher education. Where Harvard leads, others follow.

 

Harvard Will Refrain From Controversial Statements About Public Policy Issues

By Emma H. Haider and Cam E. Kettles, The Harvard Crimson, May 28, 2024

Gratitude is What is Missing in the Ivy League

By Khoa Sands, Princeton class of ‘26, Princetonians for Free Speech, May 23, 2023

“To whom much is given, much is expected. As Princeton students, we have been given a great privilege thanks to the help of many supporters. We are here for a reason and have been given much for a reason – to pursue knowledge and truth. The rights and privileges we enjoy come with responsibilities to ourselves, our families and supporters, and to the university. How then, should students approach their time at Princeton? Gratitude is a good place to start.”

On Encampments, Free Speech, and ‘Time, Place, and Manner’ Rules on University Campuses

By Christopher L. Eisgruber ‘83, The Daily Princetonian, June, 2024 issue

Our ability to discuss difficult, sensitive topics depends partly on the culture of our community. I am grateful to everyone who has helped Princeton to talk constructively about hard questions during this very challenging year. … Our success also depends on the consistent application of our policies protecting free speech. Princeton will continue to enforce those policies resolutely, including both this University’s expansive protections for the expression of controversial ideas and the time, place, and manner regulations that enable us to engage in thoughtful dialogue, debate, and deliberation about those ideas.

The Wrong Way to Fight Anti-Semitism on Campus:A well-intentioned bill making its way through Congress could chill speech at colleges across the country.

By Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, May 11, 2024

“University administrators are constantly regulating speech that is protected by the First Amendment. In the name of antidiscrimination, deans at Ivy League universities have tried to police matters as trifling as edgy Halloween costumes and slang on law-school party flyers. I favor opposing discrimination. I favor protecting speech. Colleges are too inept at both projects to excel at either when vague, constantly reinterpreted regulations prompt continuous monitoring of speech.”

The Diversity Leadership Fallacy

Exploring the efficacy and ethics of diversity initiatives

By Ryan Ruffaner, Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, May 21, 2024

Yale Tells Hopeful Scientists: You Must Commit to DEI

One department seeks applicants who “feel personal responsibility” for helping to create an equitable and inclusive environment.

By John Sailer, The Free Press, May 23, 2024

Free Speech is in Dire Shape 

By Jay Battacharya, Restoring America, May 24, 2024 (See quote of the month below.)



Quote of the Month

Jay Battacharia, Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University, Director of the university’s Center for Economics of Demography and Health and Aging, and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research
As things stand, the situation regarding free speech is dire in the Western world. The Missouri v. Biden case is currently under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court. It has the promise to limit the government’s power to censor, but I do not know how the Supreme Court will rule. In any case, it is not enough. The whole scientific community and the public need to understand the stakes because I do not believe the suppression of scientific ideas and debate will die with the pandemic. Without a concerted political program to restore free speech, the American civic religion of free speech, and the very nature of our republic may not survive.
Jay Battacharia, upon receiving the 2024 Bradley Prize on Tuesday, May 21, 2024


Also in Newsletter Archive

October 2024 Newsletter
October 2024 Newsletter

October 31, 2024 5 min read

To Princetonians for Free Speech Subscribers, Members and Friends,

PFS hosted two events this month, one in Santa Barbara, California, and the other on campus. See details in the Special Feature below. 

Additionally, our next PFS Inner Circle event is coming up. On November 21 at 4 pm EST Abigail Anthony '23, journalist and graduate students at Oxford University, will discuss free speech in journalism, her experience as a student activist, and more. You can event this event and all of our Inner Circle events by joining the Inner Circle subscription.

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September 2024 Newsletter
September 2024 Newsletter

September 30, 2024 5 min read

To Princetonians for Free Speech Subscribers, Members and Friends,

As the academic year begins at Princeton and on campuses throughout the country, an extraordinary array of newsworthy events has already occurred. In the wake of last semester’s sustained campus disruption and a contentious national election around the corner, this may be just the beginning. We start not with the usual one, but three Special Features.

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August 2024 Newsletter
August 2024 Newsletter

August 29, 2024 6 min read

To Princetonians for Free Speech Subscribers, Members and Friends,

This week is Orientation for new students at Princeton. Students, faculty and staff are, no doubt, on edge. The encampment on Cannon Green and the arrests for criminal trespass of Clio Hall are fresh in everyone’s memory. Despite clear and intentional actions that broke Princeton’s rules of conduct and its core commitment to free expression and respectful disagreement, the administration struggled to respond clearly.

This moment requires clarity from Princeton’s leaders on the rights and responsibilities concerning free speech, academic freedom, respect for viewpoint diversity and rules of civil discourse.

Princeton boasts robust free speech protections and rules around peaceful protest. But principles and rules “on paper” are not enough. Specific actions need to be taken to regain the practice of a true liberal education, which is by necessity rooted in free expression. Diverse perspectives are what empower students to engage in challenging ideas and learn from respectful disagreement. Threats and harassment are not part of what free expression means. Princeton has a long way to go to embed core principles into the everyday experience and outlook of students, faculty and administrators. As students return to campus, we present The PFS Top Ten – the ten most important reforms Princeton’s leadership should consider.

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