Academic Discourse and Freedom of Expression on Campus

This is the eighth and final event in Speech Acts, a series of talks at Fordham University focusing on questions related to free speech, political polarization, the place of truth in an age of social media, and related topics.

Free speech on university campuses is a matter that is, in some sense quite simple, but in many ways complex. This panel will consider a variety of issues involving student and faculty speech, including the questions below. Please join us for this important panel!

Many universities regulate student hateful or offensive speech, but in what way? What associational rights should students have on campus, such as the formation of student groups with university recognition, and physical spaces on campus for group members to meet without having to be open to non-members? What limits, if any, should there be on student groups inviting outside speakers? May universities insist that faculty speak (or not speak) in certain ways in the classroom? That faculty include (or not include) certain materials in the curriculum? How should and may universities respond to faculty who speak to a public audience outside of their official campus teaching duties (say, on Twitter) but to another audience on campus, particularly when teaching? Specifically: May universities discipline faculty for egregious speech on social media when the faculty member is not repeating such speech with students?

Featured Speakers

• Sigal Ben-Porath, University of Pennsylvania
• Radhika Sainath, Palestine Legal
• Dennis Tyler, Fordham University
• Rafael Zapata, Fordham University
• Moderator: Abner Greene, professor, Fordham Law