Pennsylvania TownHall -- Where the Voice of Pennsylvania is Heard!

Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

FIRE Update

by Newsletter

Table of Contents
March 25, 2008

1. FIRE Announces First Annual Campus Freedom Network Conference
2. FIRE Column on IUPUI Racial Harassment Finding in Indy Star
3. Regarding JuicyCampus.com
4. Recent Media Coverage
5. Recent Posts to The Torch
6. Recent Multimedia Content

FIRE ANNOUNCES FIRST ANNUAL CAMPUS FREEDOM NETWORK CONFERENCE

FIRE is proud to announce that it will host its first annual Campus Freedom Network Conference, "Free Speech vs. Speech Codes: Reclaiming Your Rights on Campus," on June 26-28, 2008. Forty active student members of the Campus Freedom Network will be selected from across the country to attend a three-day conference at the Doubletree hotel in Philadelphia, just blocks from FIRE's office. Students will hear from free speech luminaries on the history and philosophy of free speech, the problems with campus speech codes, and what students can do to fight censorship on their own campuses. FIRE will cover food, accommodations, and most travel expenses for all selected attendees. All CFN students are invited to apply.

FIRE COLUMN ON IUPUI RACIAL HARASSMENT FINDING IN INDY STAR

Today's Indianapolis Star features a column written by FIRE's Azhar Majeed, a Justice Robert H. Jackson Fellow, on Keith Sampson's case at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Sampson, a student-employee, was found guilty of racial harassment for reading the book Notre Dame vs. the Klan: How the Fighting Irish Defeated the Ku Klux Klan. Following a complaint from Sampson's co-worked, IUPUI's Affirmative Action Office (AAO) sent Sampson a letter of reprimand informing him that he had been found guilty of racial harassment, but failed to afford him a hearing or any opportunity to defend himself. The AAO eventually sent Sampson a second letter acknowledging that he is free to read the book during his work breaks, but failed to apologize or admit wrongdoing for its handling of the matter. FIRE has called on IUPUI to remove the harassment finding from Sampson's record and to hold the AAO accountable for its actions.

REGARDING JUICYCAMPUS.COM

Despite being online for a mere eight months, college gossip site JuicyCampus.com has managed to stir up some serious controversy. Will Creeley, FIRE's Associate Director of Legal and Public Advocacy, examined the First Amendment issues raised by the often salacious anonymous comments found on the site. FIRE often argues that if anything, college campuses should be freer than the rest of society, a kind of ultimate "free speech zone." For university administrators and students alike, JuicyCampus tests this idea mightily, but the answer must remain the same: The best response to "bad speech" is more speech, or simply an enlightened silence.

RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE

The Justice, March 25, "EDITORIAL: We didn't start the FIRE: Future of free speech at stake"

· · ·

The Indianapolis Star, March 25, "Book-reading IUPUI worker deserved better," by Azhar Majeed

· · ·

The News Journal, March 21, "UD panel to decide on residence life program," by Beth Miller

· · ·

The Review, March 18, "ResLife must reconsider its purpose," by Adam Kissel

· · ·

The Justice, March 18, "Free speech 'dead' on campuses," by Anya Bergman

· · ·

Augusta Chronicle, March 15, "Held to the FIRE"

· · ·

The Brandeis Hoot, March 14, "FIRE founder discusses speech," by David Pepose

· · ·

More media coverage at thefire.org »

RECENT POSTS TO THE TORCH

March 25, "FIRE Announces First Annual Campus Freedom Network Conference," Luke Sheahan

March 25, "FIRE Column on IUPUI Racial Harassment Finding in 'Indy Star'," Emily Guidry

March 25, "University of Minnesota Comes Through for Dissenting Student," Adam Kissel

March 24, "Wikipedia and Mud-Slinging," Greg Lukianoff

March 24, "FIREside Chats Episode 106: Highlights from Greg's Speech at Stanford Law School," Erin Royce

Read The Torch at thefire.org »

RECENT MULTIMEDIA CONTENT

'FIREside Chats' Episode 106: Highlights from Greg Lukianoff's Speech at Stanford Law School

'FIREside Chats' Episode 105: Harvey Silverglate Speaks at Brandeis University

View more multimedia at thefire.org »

RSS Feed | Multimedia | Donate Now | Speech Code of the Month
About This Newsletter
This newsletter may be redistributed in its entirety. If you would like to subscribe to receive future newsletters, please sign up here.

Please direct any comments or questions concerning this newsletter to: subscriptions@thefire.org.