Free Speech on Campus: COVID-19 and Beyond

February 11 & February 25, 2021
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Free speech is central to democracies and part of the lifeblood of college and university communities. Knight Foundation research shows that student attitudes about and experiences of free speech were changing even before the disruptions of COVID-19, the racial justice movement, and the 2020 presidential election. These two webinars explore how these changes are shaping free speech on campus and how leaders should respond in relationship to efforts to increase inclusion and the growing role of communications technologies.

Free Speech and Inclusion in Higher Education

February 11, 2021
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Amid political turmoil, hyperpolarization, and social distancing, supporting students’ free speech rights while also cultivating an inclusive campus culture is more difficult than ever. In a survey from 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.

In this webinar, leaders promoting and supporting free speech and civic engagement on campuses will discuss how to make sense of these tensions to embrace both free speech and inclusion in the present environment.

View the webinar recording below.

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Speakers

Evette Alexander

Director, Learning and Impact, Knight Foundation

Evette Alexander

Director, Learning and Impact, Knight Foundation

Kyle Ford

Student and Democracy Fellow, James Madison University Center for Civic Engagement

Kyle Ford

Student and Democracy Fellow, James Madison University Center for Civic Engagement

Jonathan Friedman

Project Director, Campus Free Speech, PEN America

Jonathan Friedman

Project Director, Campus Free Speech, PEN America

Leslie Garvin

Executive Director, North Carolina Campus Compact

Leslie Garvin

Executive Director, North Carolina Campus Compact

Valery Mendoza-Martinez

Graduate Student, UCLA

Valery Mendoza-Martinez

Graduate Student, UCLA

Campus Free Speech and Technology

February 25, 2021
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM ET

Already a central channel for speech within campus communities, social media and other forms of digital communications have become the primary means through which students and faculty seek information, debate issues, and organize for action during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, particularly those who are BIPOC or LGBTQ, are increasingly the target of online bullying and misinformation campaigns. But these same students are embracing technology to advance social justice on an unprecedented scale. This webinar will explore how colleges and universities can safeguard students’ free speech in digital forums while also combatting deception and extreme polarization, encouraging inclusion and democratic deliberation.

View the webinar recording below.

Watch