About Princetonians for Free Speech

Our Mission

Princetonians for Free Speech will restore freedom of speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity at Princeton University by establishing, educating and empowering a nonpartisan community of alumni to demand Princeton embrace these core values, while supporting faculty and students who join our cause.

Our Vision

At Princetonians for Free Speech, we envision a world where higher education fully and fearlessly embraces the principles of free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity so students will graduate as well-rounded, critical thinkers who can become the leaders of tomorrow that our country needs.

Our Goals

Free Speech Rankings

Move Princeton to the top 25% in the FIRE speech rankings, including improving Princeton to a “green light” rating

Reduce the current  60+% student "fear"  to speak out on issues down to 25% 

Strengthen support for on-campus Free Speech groups 

Support student group events and initiatives that promote academic freedom and free speech

Assist in increasing membership in all groups

Make Free Speech a permanent part of Freshman orientation 

Achieve greater free speech content on campus (orientation, curriculum, etc.)

Have Princeton adopt the Kalven report, or equivalent policies

Empower alumni to communicate support for free speech to the Princeton administration

Accomplishing Our Goals

Read our letter to Princeton's trustee's here.

We work closely with faculty and student groups supporting free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity. In September of 2022, we, along with a group of Princeton faculty and students in the Princeton Open Campus Coalition formed the Princeton Free Speech Union, the first formal group on any campus bringing together alumni, faculty, and students to support free speech. Keep reading...




Princeton Should Be More Elitist

June 30, 2025

By Khoa Sands ‘26

Much of my writing and observations on free speech and academic freedom at Princeton over the past several years in some way revolve around the relationship between the ivory tower and civil society. I have stressed why a liberal society depends on liberal education, the tensions between civic education and the pursuit of truth, and how campus protests mirror social revolutions. Of course, as has been repeated numerous times, free speech is the only way universities can adhere to their truth-seeking missions. However, academic freedom is important from the civil society angle as well, as it legitimizes elite institutions in the eyes of a wider democratic society.

What does it mean to Stand Up For Princeton?

June 23, 2025

Tal Fortgang ‘17

With President Eisgruber personally leading the academic “resistance” against the Trump administration’s attack on elite universities, Princeton launched a campaign, announced in the Daily Princetonian on May 2, that “encourages alumni, faculty, students, and friends to make their voices heard in support of higher education during this challenging period.” Stand Up for Princeton and Higher Education aims to deputize a cadre of the most influential Americans – Princetonians themselves – who tend to have strong nostalgia for their alma mater, not merely to pay it forward to future Princetonians through donations but to become a kind of political force defending the university in Washington. 

Reconsidering External Threats

June 18, 2025

By Khoa Sands ‘26

The second Trump administration's attack on higher education has reinvigorated conversations around academic freedom. Concerns once relegated to the center and the right have been taken up again by the left with newfound salience. Princeton, thankfully, has managed to escape the worst of the madness, despite some major cuts to research funding. This relatively privileged situation has not stopped Princetonians from debating, discussing, and defending academic freedom at Princeton.