Can a New Law Protect Intellectual Diversity on Campus?

Mar 8, 2019 · · No Comments on Can a New Law Protect Intellectual Diversity on Campus?

American colleges and universities lean left. Among faculty at leading U.S. universities, Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 11-to-one. The administration is even more skewed: there, Democrats outnumber Republicans by 12-to-one. Further evidence can be found by examining summer reading choices, non-academic campus programming, commencement speakers, and funding given to student groups. George R. LaNoue … Continue reading “Can a New Law Protect Intellectual Diversity on Campus?”

Have North Carolina Colleges Improved Their Free Speech Protections?

Sep 24, 2018 · · No Comments on Have North Carolina Colleges Improved Their Free Speech Protections?

Free speech on campus has become a point of concern for many. News reports describe speakers being disinvited from campus or shouted down. Events such as students being arrested for giving away free copies of the U.S. Constitution on a college campus have become ordinary. North Carolina has not been immune to this worrisome trend. In … Continue reading “Have North Carolina Colleges Improved Their Free Speech Protections?”

Do North Carolina Students Have Freedom of Speech? A Review of Campus Speech Codes

Sep 23, 2018 · and · Comments Off on Do North Carolina Students Have Freedom of Speech? A Review of Campus Speech Codes

This report examines the speech and assembly protections for students and faculty members at North Carolina’s universities, both public and private. It is a follow-up to the 2010 report, “Do North Carolina Students Have Freedom of Speech? A Review of Campus Speech Codes.” In the eight years since the publication of that report, North Carolina … Continue reading “Do North Carolina Students Have Freedom of Speech? A Review of Campus Speech Codes”

Free Speech at UNC: Improvement, but Still Lots to Do

Aug 27, 2018 · · No Comments on Free Speech at UNC: Improvement, but Still Lots to Do

In 2017, the North Carolina legislature passed House Bill 527 (now State Law 2017-196) in order to foster free, open inquiry in the state’s colleges and universities. One of the provisions ordered the University of North Carolina system Board of Governors to produce an annual report on two major categories of intellectual freedom: free speech … Continue reading “Free Speech at UNC: Improvement, but Still Lots to Do”

Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading

Jun 18, 2018 · · No Comments on Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading

North Carolina just added a new layer of meaning to its motto, First in Flight. This time the state is the first in the nation to get campus free speech off the runway.   The North Carolina Campus Free Speech Act lofts the idea that college students and invited speakers have a right to express … Continue reading “Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading”

Implementing the North Carolina Campus Free Speech Act

May 28, 2018 · · No Comments on Implementing the North Carolina Campus Free Speech Act

Editor: The following piece is adapted from a talk delivered by Stanley Kurtz at a Martin Center event in Wilmington, North Carolina on May 18, 2018. First, I want to express my gratitude to Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest and his staff, the General Assembly, and the people of the state for the passage of House … Continue reading “Implementing the North Carolina Campus Free Speech Act”

student governments

Student Governments Can Help to Restore Faith in Higher Education

Jul 17, 2017 · · 3 Comments on Student Governments Can Help to Restore Faith in Higher Education

Higher education has a public relations problem on its hands. The results of a new Pew Research survey show that almost 60 percent of Republicans believe higher education has a “negative effect on the way things are going in the country.” Given recent high-profile cases involving violent protests, the shouting-down of conservative campus speakers, and … Continue reading “Student Governments Can Help to Restore Faith in Higher Education”

NC Joins Growing List of States Seeking to Protect Campus Free Speech

Apr 24, 2017 · and · 3 Comments on NC Joins Growing List of States Seeking to Protect Campus Free Speech

Student intolerance and opposition to free speech have been gaining momentum. What began as isolated incidents at the University of Missouri and Yale University in fall 2015 quickly spread to other universities, leading to individuals being targeted for simply expressing their opinions. Recent rioting that prevented a speech by Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley, and … Continue reading “NC Joins Growing List of States Seeking to Protect Campus Free Speech”

The Campus Free Speech Act: A Way to Restore the Marketplace of Ideas

Feb 1, 2017 · · 42 Comments on The Campus Free Speech Act: A Way to Restore the Marketplace of Ideas

Between the rise of safe spaces, trigger warnings, speaker disinvitations, and the often illiberal conduct of campus demonstrators over the past few years, it’s clear that the core constitutional value of free speech is now under siege at our colleges and universities. The fraying of commitment to freedom of speech on the part of college … Continue reading “The Campus Free Speech Act: A Way to Restore the Marketplace of Ideas”