UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement

Graphic reading “8th Annual Conference” in pink text above a stylized pink column icon. Next to the columns is the blue text “#SpeechMatters 2026,” with “2026” in large bold numbers. Below, in smaller blue text, it reads “Preserving the Pillars of Free Expression.” The background is light gray with diagonal gradient streaks.

Register now for #SpeechMatters 2026!

Registration is now open for our eighth annual virtual #SpeechMatters conference, “Preserving the Pillars of Free Expression,” on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 8:30 am - 12:00 pm PT | 11:30 am - 3:00 pm ET.

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Academic Freedom's Uneven First Amendment Path Academic Freedom: From Professional Norm to First Amendment Right by David M. Rabban. Harvard University Press, 2024.

Former Fellow Anil Kalhan discusses Academic Freedom: From Professional Norm to First Amendment Right by David M. Rabban in a Winter 2026 piece about the uneven path of academic freedom under the First Amendment.

UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement: Information Sessions for the Fellowship Application Join an information session to learn more about the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement’s fellows program and application process. Former fellows will be available to discuss their...

Have questions about our 2026-2027 fellows program?

Register for one of the two upcoming information sessions:

Thursday, February 19 at 10:00 am PT | 1:00 pm ET

Tuesday, February 24 at 12:00 pm PT | 3pm ET.

🔗 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Graphic promoting the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement’s Fellowship. The graphic displays a picture of a group of people smiling in front of a dark blue background with a white UC National Center logo on the top right corner.

We are now accepting applications for our 2026-2027 class of Fellows!

Applications are due by Monday, March 30th at midnight. For more information on the fellowship program and past fellows projects: freespeechcenter.universityofcalifornia.edu/programs-and...

Professors Are Being Watched: ‘We’ve Never Seen This Much Surveillance’ Scrutiny of university classrooms is being formalized, with new laws requiring professors to post syllabuses and tip lines for students to complain.

Some professors and free-expression groups say increased classroom surveillance is fueling a wave of censorship that they argue threatens academic freedom.👇

Read this op-ed arguing that college deans aren’t protected by academic freedom in the same way as professors and that managerial authority can place limits on speech. 🔗

An Instructor Was Fired After a Viral Recording of a Gender Lesson. Now She’s Suing the University. Melissa McCoul, who had taught at Texas A&M University’s flagship for nine years, says her First Amendment rights were violated. Her case sparked widespread concern about classroom censorship.

A senior lecturer at Texas A&M is suing the university, alleging her firing over a classroom lesson about gender violated her First Amendment rights. ⬇️
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Of Course Faculty Will Take Political Positions in the Classroom But—colleges can still require faculty to limit expressing their personal viewpoints in professional settings.

Read National Advisory Board Co-chairs Dean Erwin Chemerinsky and Chancellor Howard Gillman’s response to John Wilson’s book review on Campus Speech and Academic Freedom.

Book Review: Campus Speech and Academic Freedom In their new book, Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman critique current threats to campus free speech, but their narrow definition of academic freedom risks free expression.

Former Fellow John Wilson discusses the new book, Campus Speech and Academic Freedom, by University of California, Berkeley, law school dean Erwin Chemerinsky and University of California, Irvine chancellor Howard Gillman. Read the op-ed.

UNC Plans to Define What Academic Freedom Is—and Isn’t The Faculty Assembly’s proposed definition will soon go before the state university system’s board, but with added language such as “academic freedom is not absolute.” The state AAUP is objecting.

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors is set to vote on a definition of academic freedom for the entire university system. ⬇️

Graphic promoting the "Speech Matters Podcast" from the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. The episode is titled “Voting and Education: The Only Way Forward.” The left side of the image has a smart phone with the SpeechMatters logo displayed above a podcast player and the right side has the episode name and speaker information with placeholder profile icons on a dark blue background.

📢 New #SpeechMatters podcast episode!

🎧 Tune in to the latest episode, “Voting and Education: The Only Way Forward” with guest Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., California Secretary of State.

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Florida Introduces “Sanitized” Sociology Textbook The volume was created after a state review found that existing course materials violated a law prohibiting general education courses from teaching about systemic inequality. So far, at least two…

Florida created a new sociology textbook after a state review found existing course materials violated a law on general education courses teaching about systemic inequality. 🔗

Opinion | The Viewpoint-Diversity Debate Misunderstands Science We’re not teaching students truths about nature. We’re giving them tools to explore.

This op-ed argues that debates over viewpoint diversity often misunderstand the nature of scientific practice and education. Read more:

Higher Ed Urged to “Stand Up” to Government Attacks A panel of legal experts and a higher ed leader called on colleges to form coalitions against violations of free speech on campus and to protect the values of higher education.

A panel of legal experts and a higher ed leader at the American Association of Colleges and Universities annual meeting urged colleges to “stand up” against violations of First Amendment rights and stifling of free speech on campuses. ⬇️

Four scholars discuss differing perspectives on the movement for viewpoint diversity in higher education. Read more in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

In Times of Crisis, Actions Speak Louder Than Words If colleges don’t resist the country’s social unraveling, who will?

Where are universities in this moment of crisis? Read this op-ed on the huge influence colleges and universities hold in their communities — and why actions, not just words, matter now. ⬇️

Texas A&M Cancels Graduate Ethics Class in Course Review Administrators say the professor teaching the course did not specify when and how race, gender and sexuality might come up in class. The professor says that would be impossible.

Texas A&M University canceled a graduate ethics course as part of an ongoing course review after the professor was not able to specify when and how race, gender and sexuality might come up in the class. 👇

Expanding the Web of Control Government censorship of free speech and academic freedom has reached unprecedented heights on U.S. campuses as lawmakers extend a web of political and ideological control over the sector.

Pen America released its newest report “America’s Censored Campuses 2025: Expanding the Web of Control.” Explore the findings.👇

Opinion | Where’s the Outrage? Universities Need to Speak Up. The lack of response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good is shameful.

Read this op-ed on the silence of higher education after the killing of Renee Nicole Good and why the author argues universities need to speak up in the face of rising authoritarianism.

Free Expression Advocates Call on Trump Administration to Respect Public’s First Amendment Right to Record - National Coalition Against Censorship The strength of American democracy lies in one simple principle: the right to hold power accountable. Yet that principle is now under attack. The Trump Administration’s claim that recording…

Free expression advocates call on Trump administration to respect the public’s First Amendment right to document public officials and affirm that the First Amendment protects those who record and speak out. 🔗

National Advisory Board member Eugene Volokh discusses what kind of year 2025 was for free speech in Free Speech Unmuted. ⤵️
reason.com/volokh/2026/...

A How-To Guide for Handling Campus Speech Controversies A lot has changed since Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman wrote Free Speech on Campus in 2017. They’re back with a second book that addresses student protest, classroom speech, event security and…

National Advisory Board co-chairs Dean Chemerinsky and Chancellor Gillman discuss their book Campus Speech and Academic Freedom in this interview with Inside Higher Ed. 🔗
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ICYMI: Tune into the latest SpeechMatters podcast episode with the Center co-chairs here:
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Censorship Arrives on Campus In her debut column, “Echoes in the Quad,” higher education policy scholar Dominique J. Baker explores how the political oppression of the McCarthy era reverberates in the stifling of academic…

Higher education policy scholar Dominique J. Baker argues that the political oppression of the McCarthy era reverberates in current efforts to stifle free speech and academic freedom on campus. ⤵️

Graphic promoting the "Speech Matters Podcast" from the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. The episode is titled “Campus Speech and Academic Freedom, A Guide for Difficult Times.” The left side of the image has a smart phone with the SpeechMatters logo displayed above a podcast player and the right side has the episode name and speaker information with placeholder profile icons on a dark blue background.

📢 Season 5 of the #SpeechMatters podcast starts now!

Tune into the latest episode, “Campus Speech and Academic Freedom, A Guide for Difficult Times” with guest speakers and Center Co-chairs UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman and Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of Berkeley Law.
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Free Expression in Higher Education: A Q&A with Tom Ginsburg | University of Chicago Law School The ongoing debate about free expression in higher education has grown increasingly complex and contentious in recent years, shaped by a variety of societal and political factors that are…

Tom Ginsburg, the faculty director of the Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression, discusses why academic freedom is so vital. Read more:

Texas A&M, Under New Curriculum Limits, Warns Professor Not to Teach Plato The university is reviewing courses under new rules restricting teaching about race and gender. Administrators told a philosophy professor to cut some lessons on Plato to comply.

Texas A&M university administrators told a philosophy professor to cut some lessons on Plato to comply with new policies limiting discussion of race and gender.
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A graphic promoting “Ten-Minute Plays and Monologues, an online writing workshop.” The flyer is turquoise and orange featuring a bullhorn on the bottom right and a headshot of the speaker in the middle of the flyer.

🚨Tomorrow! Register for an online writing workshop, as part of UC Irvine’s first festival for ten-minute monologues. Free and open to all!

📅 Fri, Jan 16, 4-7 PM PT

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Universities Must Stop Hiding Behind Neutrality Pledges In his new book, The Opinionated University, Brian Soucek urges institutional leaders to stand up for their missions amid political controversy.

Former fellow Brian Soucek urges institutional leaders to stand up for their missions in his new book. Read more in his interview with Inside Higher Ed here:
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ICYMI: Tune into the latest SpeechMatters podcast episode ft. Brian here:
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2026 College Free Speech Rankings The sixth annual College Free Speech Rankings show a continued decline in support for free speech among all students, but particularly conservatives.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s 2026 College Free Speech Rankings display a data-driven look at where campus free speech is flourishing and where it is failing.👇

Opinion | At Harvard and Elsewhere, the New Campus Orthodoxy Is Even More Stifling Wasn’t this supposed to be the golden era of free expression on college campuses?

Are Harvard and other universities now facing a new campus orthodoxy that leads them to police speech under federal pressure? Read more in this op-ed.👇