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...

Click here to meet the amazing people behind the scenes at PFS

Princeton FIRE Ranking:

223 out of 251

A “red light” institution has at least one red light policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.

SEE REPORT

Princeton Free Speech News & More

Commentary: ‘How to Prosecute Genocide?’ panel hosted by Lichtenstein Institute for Self-Determination

November 21, 2024

Leela Hensler
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Princeton students and faculty filled the lower level of McCosh 50 to hear Professor Luis Moreno Ocampo, who is the first chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Anoush Baghdassarian, who currently serves as a clerk on the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, discuss the ICC’s role in securing justice for victims of genocide on a global scale. This scope includes conflicts which have been the focus of student activism, such as wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Commentary: We must dispel the myth of Princeton’s economic diversity

November 21, 2024

Raf Basas
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: At Princeton, we often forget the sharp difference in income distributions between Princeton and the nation as a whole. The media spins a tale of great improvement: Though Princeton had once predominantly served America’s economic elite, it has done well in shedding the specter of affluence that has haunted it for centuries. After all, a whopping 65 percent of Princeton students receive some level of financial aid.

This is a persuasive narrative, but make no mistake: Princeton’s “economic diversity” is a myth. Although the numbers have improved since the 2017 article from The New York Times, just 30.8 percent of Princeton’s Class of 2026 is from the bottom 60 percent of U.S. households.

Commentary: Princeton’s liberal hypocrisy will only exacerbate the post-election political divide

November 21, 2024

Siyeon Lee and Genevieve Shutt
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: A coalition of Princeton’s liberal and progressive organizations hosted a ‘Walkout For Our Futures’ last Friday, in response to Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election. Like many others, we were fearful, dejected, and most of all, angry — and understandably, sought to make this sentiment known. This anger, however, was expressed by some protestors in a manner that was not only unproductive but also incendiary.

What democratic, egalitarian, or progressive purpose is served by ascribing idiocy to all of Trump’s administration — or by fantasizing about its failure? When progressives reduce Trump and his administration to incendiary insults, often attacking their intelligence and capability, his largely working-class, non-college-educated followers likely translate those insults as their own.

Read Our Annual Report