Two ACE Engage® webinars will address campus free speech amid current political turmoil, hyperpolarization, and social distancing, through the lenses of inclusion on Feb. 11 and technology on Feb. 25. Both webinars are supported by the Knight Foundation.
In a survey from the Knight Foundation and Gallup, 81 percent of students say they want to be exposed to all kinds of speech on campus, but 69 percent also believe inclusion is essential. Women and minority students have far less faith that the First Amendment protects them, even as they embrace their free speech rights to lead a new generation of civil right activism. On Feb. 11, join panelists from Campus Compact, PEN America, and the James Madison University Center for Civic Engagement for a discussion on how to make sense of these tensions in “Free Speech and Inclusion in Higher Education.”
Then, on Feb. 25, attend “Campus Free Speech and Technology” to explore how colleges and universities can safeguard students’ free speech in digital forums while also combating deception and extreme polarization, encouraging inclusion and democratic deliberation. Speakers from PEN America, University of Missouri School of Law, University of California Irvine, and the Knight Foundation will discuss how social media and other forms of digital communication are used for bullying and spreading misinformation, yet also for innovation and advancing social justice, especially during the pandemic.
Click here to learn more and register for one or both webinars.
In preparation for these events and to continue to keep these issues top of mind afterward, be sure to check out the wide variety of free speech resources on ACE Engage. For example, take the “Inclusion and Free Speech: Strategies for Managing Tensions” microcourse to discover action steps to prepare for a controversial speaker or event on campus. Or, view the “Conversations: Free Expression and Inclusion” toolkit to explore a series of questions to begin conversations with your colleagues around the complex intersection of freedom of expression and campus inclusion, focusing on what is specific to your campus and your institution's level of preparedness.