Alumni Matters

    Freedom of speech, freedom of expression and academic freedom are complicated concepts, but the premise of this post is a simple one: that there should be very few restrictions applied to speech on campuses. Although some may think that surely a defence of free speech is not necessary at colleges, which were constructed to discuss ideas, all ideas, not just a few of them, but that is not the case. The word "free" is now less associated with the word "speech", than words like, "hateful", "discriminatory", "deceitful" and even "blasphemous." Free speech is seen by many as a tool only for those in power and that the minimal harm caused by limiting the freedom of expression "is far outweighed by the benefit it provides to vulnerable groups and to the promotion of equality." 
   I don't agree and am bothered by the fact that the list of people effectively restricted from coming to speak at the campus close by, would be a very long one. And, I am not talking about just those who might want to discuss the political situation in the Middle East. 
  Although many students may not want to hear about ideas to which they are opposed and worry also about being 'harmed' by them, some alumni may feel differently. Apparently that is the case in the United States where the Alumni Free Speech Alliance, "exists to preserve the pursuit of truth in American Higher Education. We do this by empowering alumni of American colleges and universities to form and run independent alumni organizations that support free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity at their alma mater."  

   This alumni alliance was formed in 2021 to protect the freedom of expression. I do not think there is such a group in Canada. If you want to start one, the information that follows should be useful. One can begin by looking at the websites of AFSA and FIRE - Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.  A couple of dozen alumni groups have joined the Alliance and their websites are provided. There is some redundancy and a few of the nascent ones have yet to create a website, but as they develop and their activities increase this could be a good resource for those interested in making their old campus a more interesting and inviting place.

                           ALUMNI FREE SPEECH ALLIANCE

Boston University (coming soon)
  Boston University Free Speech Alliance

Bucknell
https://www.opendiscoursecoalition.org/
  Open Discourse Coalition

   “Providing a variety of intellectual viewpoints at Bucknell University and beyond.”

Columbia
https://www.alumnifreespeechalliance.org/

   Alumni Free Speech Alliance
  “AFSA exists to organize, empower, and engage alumni to preserve the legacy of rational truth-seeking by securing free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity at American colleges and universities.”

Cornell

https://www.cornellfreespeech.com/
  Free Speech Alliance
  WHAT WE DEFEND

"The Cornell Free Speech Alliance (CFSA) is an independent, non-partisan organization of Cornell alumni and faculty dedicated to protecting free expression, viewpoint diversity, and academic freedom at Cornell University. CFSA works to address speech suppression on campus and supports individuals facing infringements on their rights, urging Cornell to adopt stronger free speech protections and political nonpartisanship."

Dartmouth (coming)
  Dartmouth Free Speech Alliance

Davidson
https://www.dftdunite.org/

   “Davidsonians for Freedom of Thought and Discourse”

Furman

https://www.furman-free-speech.com/

   Furman Free Speech Alliance
  “ Friends of Furman is dedicated to promoting free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity at Furman University. The Furman Free Speech Alliance is not affiliated with Furman University.

Harvard
https://harvardalumniforfreespeech.com/
  Harvard Alumni For Free Speech
  “Our purpose is to promote and strengthen free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity, both on campus and throughout the global Harvard-Radcliffe community. We hope to encourage all Harvard stakeholders who pursue freedom in speech and thought.”

James Madison (coming)
  Madison Cabinet For Free Speech

   “The alumni behind the Madison Cabinet came together because of their shared concerns about JMU’s restrictive speech codes, limited viewpoint diversity, and lack of transparency in university governance. Beyond speaking out about these issues, these graduates intend to petition the school to uphold its First Amendment obligations as a public university.”

Lafayette
  Alumni/Alumnae Coalition for Lafayette

Macalester 

https://www.macmods.org/
  Macalester Alumni of Moderation
  “ Macalester Alumni of Moderation believe a liberal arts education is enhanced by differing points of view shared freely on campus.”

MIT

https://www.mitfreespeech.org/

   MIT Free Speech Alliance
  “The MIT Free Speech Alliance, an independent nonprofit founded by Institute alumni, is a key voice in the fight to keep MIT a place for innovation and engagement with diverse perspectives. Since our founding we have supported speech-protective policies at MIT, including the adoption of MIT’s Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom and the elimination of DEI statements.”

MSU
https://michiganstateforfreespeech.org/

   Michigan State Alumni For Free Speech

   “Promoting free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity.”

Michigan Technological

https://huskiesforcommonsense.org/
  “Michigan Tech Alumni and Friends Supporting Free Speech and Critical Thinking”

Princeton

https://princetoniansforfreespeech.org/

   Princetonians For Free Speech
  “Fighting For Free Speech Alongside Princeton Alumni, Faculty & Students”

Stanford
https://www.stanfordfreespeech.org/
  Stanford Alumni For Free Speech and Critical Thinking

UCLA

https://www.ucla-free-speech.com/

   Bruin Alumni In Defense Of Free Speech

   “Promoting free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity.”

   “We are UCLA graduates reaching out to all Bruin alumni who are ready to take a stand against the erosion of free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity on our nation’s campuses; alumni who are dismayed at shout-down protests and violence against speech deemed offensive, faculty disciplined for pedagogical speech that challenges students’ political or cultural beliefs, and a campus culture that intimidates students into silence on controversial topics.”

University of California

https://calfsm.org/
  University of California Free Speech Alliance
  “The University of California Free Speech Alliance (UCSFA) works with the Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA), American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), Cal's Faculty Freedom Caucus, and The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's (FIRE).”

University of Chicago (coming)
  University of Chicago Free Speech Alliance

University of North Carolina
https://www.uncafsa.org/
  UNC Free Speech Alliance
  “ Join UNC AFSA in promoting free speech, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity at UNC.”

University of Pennsylvania

https://www.pennfreespeech.org/
  University of Pennsylvania Alumni Free Speech Alliance

   “We are alumni of the University of Pennsylvania and want to let the university know that we believe in free speech as foundational principles for our alma mater.”

University of Virginia.

https://www.jeffersoncouncil.org/
  The Jefferson Council
  “Preserving Thomas Jefferson’s Legacy of Freedom and Excellence.”
  “The Jefferson Council is made up of a robust network of concerned and invested alumni who are committed to leading the University of Virginia back to Thomas Jefferson’s legacy of freedom and excellence.”

VMI
https://cadetnewspaper.org/

   Link is to The Cadet newspaper which is a member of the AFSA.

   “The Cadet Foundation is a proud and honored member of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance. On many campuses, students and faculty are attacked for exercising free speech. According to the FIRE survey, over 80 percent of students at schools surveyed said they self-censor in the classroom, on campus and online.”
   

Washington and Lee

https://www.thegeneralsredoubt.us/
  The Generals Redoubt
  “ A non-partisan organization committed to fostering open discussion and historical integrity. It aims to preserve the legacy of Washington and Lee University while providing a platform for alumni, students, and friends to engage in educational activities and dialogues. The organization also emphasizes its independence from political affiliations, ensuring a focus on historical understanding and free speech.”

Williams

https://www.williamsfreespeech.com/
  Williams Free Speech Alliance
  “The Williams Free Speech Alliance (WFSA) is a non-partisan organization founded by a group of Williams alumni in January 2023 to protect and promote Free Expression, Viewpoint Diversity, Institutional Neutrality, and Academic Freedom at Williams College.”

Wofford (coming)

https://www.alumniwoffordway.com/
  Alumni For the Wofford Way

Yale
https://fightforyale.com/

   Fight For Yale’s Future
  “Restoring Light and Truth. Fight for Yale’s Future was created to educate key stakeholders and members of the public about an ever-expanding series of troubling developments at Yale University, to stimulate debate about its mission and activities, and to hold its leadership accountable. 

We seek to empower alumni, students, faculty, staff, and other interested parties to speak out and take action to bring about necessary changes to restore light and truth at Yale.”

Other "Free Speech" Posts on MM

"Academic Freedom & Free Speech"
"Free Speech & Ontario Universities" 
"Cowards in Coventry"
"Dawkins Not Talking"

Academic Freedom & Free Speech

There is much written about the conflicts on college campuses south of our border. There have been some controversies in Canada and more are likely, and one suspects that there is not much respect for the concept of "freedom of speech" at Canadian universities. I assume, for example, that there is a long list of people who would not be allowed to give a talk at the campus close by, even if the talk had nothing to do with the current Middle East conflict. 
  In the United States there are some attempts to again allow universities to be  places where ideas are debatable. Six examples of the radical notion that arguments should be allowed are provided below. Keep them in mind since they may be useful for a campus near you. 

Campus Call for Free Expression

  "The Institute for Citizens & Scholars Campus Call for Free Expression is a commitment by a diverse group of college presidents to urgently spotlight, uplift, and re-emphasize the principles of critical inquiry and civic discourse on their campuses. The Campus Call is centered on a coordinated set of presidential and campus activities focused on free expression that collectively amplify higher education’s role in preparing young people to be the empowered citizens our democracy needs."
   Here are a couple of related articles:
"Group Of College Presidents Launches New Campaign In Defense Of Free Speech, Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, Aug. 16, 2023
"The Campus Call is a project of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a recent initiative convened by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. The group ‘brings together college presidents who are committed to addressing the challenge of ensuring today’s young people are well-informed, productively engaged, and committed citizens.”
The College Presidents for Civic Preparedness is a consortium that currently consists of 15 presidents of four-year institutions, most of which are private. The schools include public flagships, Ivy-plus institutions, HBCUs, liberal arts colleges, and faith-based institutions."

"13 Presidents Launch Campus Free Speech Group", By  Josh Moody, 
Inside Higher Ed, Aug. 16, 2023.
"The group—known as the Campus Call for Free Expression—is launching a coordinated effort across their campuses to support free speech, according to a press release from The Institute for Citizens & Scholars and the James L. Knight Foundation. The Institute for Citizens & Scholars, a nonprofit, is the coordinating body while the Knight Foundation is providing $250,000 in funding.The 13 participating institutions are: Benedict College; Claremont McKenna College; Cornell University; DePauw University; Duke University; James Madison University; Rollins College; Rutgers University; University of Notre Dame; University of Pittsburgh; University of Richmond; Wellesley College; and Wesleyan University."

Columbia University - Dialogue Across Difference

"Freedom of expression thrives within a culture of civility and empathy. Dialogue Across Difference (DxD), part of the Values in Action initiative, is designed to foster a resilient and inclusive community of learners among students, faculty, and staff and to engage with diverse perspectives and navigate challenging conversations with a shared commitment to mutual understanding and respect."

Georgetown University - The Free Speech Project

"THE FREE SPEECH PROJECT AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IS FOUNDED ON THE CORE BELIEF THAT MEANINGFUL EDUCATION AND GREATER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AROUND THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO DEMOCRACY."
They offer a "Free Speech Tracker" to provide information about current free speech controversies. 

Harvard University - Council on Academic Freedom at Harvard

“A university has two great obligations to society: to foster the discovery and dissemination of knowledge and understanding, and to prepare students for lives of meaning, purpose, and service.”

  Found here is an article about the formation of CAFH: "More than 70 Harvard Faculty Form Council on Academic Freedom, Co-Led by Steven Pinker, Rahem D. Hamid & Elias J. Schisgall, The Harvard Crimson, April 14, 2023

"Pinker and Madras wrote that the group “will encourage the adoption and enforcement of policies that protect academic freedom.”

“When an individual is threatened or slandered for a scholarly opinion, which can be emotionally devastating, we will lend our personal and professional support,” they wrote. “When activists are shouting into an administrator’s ear, we will speak calmly but vigorously into the other one, which will require them to take the reasoned rather than the easy way out.”

Stanford University - Academic Freedom and Free Expression
  Provided are resources related to:

Statement on Academic Freedom

Fundamental Standard for student conduct

Freedom of Speech and the Fundamental Standard

Protected Identity Harm Reporting process

Policy on Campus Disruption

Non-discrimination Policy

Policy for Events Requiring Security or Extraordinary Resources

Student Event Planning Policies

Anti-Doxxing Policy

University of Chicago - Forum For Free Inquiry and Expression

"The Chicago Forum: promotes the understanding, practice, and advancement of free and open discourse at the University of Chicago and beyond."

 

The Bonus: 
   Institutional Neutrality is also a good idea - see the FIRE site where this is written: "A College Should Host Critics - Not Become the Critic Itself."

   The adjacent image is from the Scholars at Risk Network and their mission is "Protecting Scholars and the Freedom to Think, Question and Share Ideas." 

CANCON - The Society For Academic Freedom and Scholarship's goal is "Defending Freedom and Excellence in Teaching and Research."

SAFS began in London.

For related posts on MM see:

"Free Speech & Ontario Universities"
"Cowards in Coventry"
"S.W.I.N.E." (Students Wildly Indignant About Nearly Everything)
"The Dreaded N-Word" 
"Dawkins Not Talklng"

S.W.I.N.E.

An Acronym for Our Time

   The acronym is S.W.I.N.E. and the initials stand for Students Wildly Indignant About Nearly Everything. It was coined over fifty years ago by Al Capp. I can't recall how I came across it, but I am surprised that it has not been resurrected and applied to the heated campus climates found today, even here in the near north. 

   I gather that Capp became rather crotchety and more conservative in his old age and that his cartoons were cancelled by many newspapers in which they had been syndicated.  While I am certainly old and crotchety, I have not become more conservative and don't think I ever was. In fact, I am a radical, in that I believe in free speech. Although many in the herd of SWINE now protest about things that I find ludicrous and which take time away from more important matters, they should be allowed to protest. They should not be allowed, however, to block those who protest against them. Having said that, I guess I can be labelled as 'conservative', given that I feel that college-age students should be mature enough not to have their feelings easily hurt and that words are different from weapons. 

   Although the provincial government mandated back in 2019 that free speech policies be established on Ontario campuses, you may wonder about the degree of oral freedom at the colleges and universities. Here are two websites where attempts are made to monitor the free speech policies and practices at universities in both Canada and the United States.

   In Canada see the Campus Freedom Index, which measures the "State of Free Speech at Canadian Public Universities." Here is a sample table from this site:

I am skeptical and think it highly likely that most universities are flunking when it comes to actual practices. Here is what it takes to get an "F".

To get an F - (University Practices)

F | A university earns the grade of F by doing one or more of the following:

*the university has denied equal access to rooms, facilities or other spaces on campus, based on the controversial or offensive content of the expression of a group or individual;

*the university has charged students or other people with offences (e.g. non-academic misconduct; trespassing) solely because of the content of their peaceful expression, in the absence of any violations of university rules or policies;

*the university has imposed security fees or other restrictions on groups or individuals because the content of their speech is controversial or offensive;

*the university has condoned the obstruction, blocking, disruption or interruption of peaceful events on campus (e.g. speakers; debates; displays, etc.) by failing to provide adequate and effective security;

*the university has failed to discipline students who engage in the obstruction, blocking or interruption of peaceful events or displays on campus;

   For the United States, F.I.R.E. is another useful acronym and it stands for Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Check out their Spotlight Database which rates policies that regulate student expression at over 475 colleges and universities. Public institutions bound by the First Amendment and private schools that promise free speech rights are rated as “green light,” “yellow light,” or “red light” institutions based on the extent to which they restrict free speech. “Warning” schools are private institutions that clearly prioritize other values above free speech. Our “Using FIRE’s Spotlight Database” page provides further information about each rating.

Sources: 

  There is a good Wikipedia entry for Al Capp and a website for Li'l Abner. 

For an obituary for Capp see: "Al Capp, Creator of Li'l Abner, is Dead at 70," Israel Shenker, New York Times, Nov. 6, 1979. If you are really interested:
"Just How Bitter, Petty, and Tragic Was Comic-Strip Genius Al Capp?", Steven Heller, Atlantic Magazine, Feb. 28, 2013. 

The Bonus:

   When he was 12, Capp lost most of his right leg in a streetcar accident, perhaps a reason for his crotchetiness.

   Those of you who disagree with all of this SWINE stuff should go at least to the Wikipedia entry for Capp, where you will learn that Capp could be a PIG.  When he did show up on college campuses (this was back when such speakers were allowed a platform) he apparently acted very inappropriately with some coeds, and was once found guilty of adultery (back when it was still a crime.)

   I have posted before about this subject. See, for example, "Dawkins Not Talking."

George R. Stewart (1895 - 1980)

Pandemic Reading Project

   It is highly likely that you are bored and have run out of reading material. My purpose here is to introduce you to one author who will provide all the books you need, whether you are a fan of fiction or non-fiction. As well, a large number of subjects are covered.

   You will be surprised to learn that the producer of all these books, on different topics and in different genres, was a professor of English. Don't let that discourage you. He was an interesting fellow and the English Department at Berkeley was clearly different back in his day. You can easily learn more about him in the sources I will offer.  For now, here are some of the subjects he wrote about and there will surely be one-or-two that will interest you. We will begin with the fiction.

The Pandemic

   Although you may be trying to avoid reading about the current Covid crisis, you can't. Nor can your friends and relatives and we are all reading and talking about the same things, which at this moment are vaccines. Introduce some variety into the conversation, by speculating about what would happen if the virus resulted in the loss of most of mankind (or theykind or whatever.) In the novel Earth Abides, a young man returns from the wilderness only to find that most of the population has disappeared - because of a virus. It is a well-crafted tale. The earth abides, the animals do well, but the humans do not.

The Weather

   Always a very popular subject and now we are experiencing it in extreme forms. The National Weather Service ran out of the usual names for storms this year and had to take some from the Greek alphabet. Although the Atlantic tropical storms have only been given names since 1953, Stewart named storms in his novel, Storm which was a Book of the Month Club selection back in 1941. 

   The weather was also partially responsible for the destruction of almost 10 million U.S. acres by fires. Stewart's novel Fire, "is the blazing story of Spitcat, a forest fire, and of the eleven days during which it was born, almost died, and raged across a green and gracious Sierra forest to leave only black desolation and a terrible silence. It is the story of a flaming disaster that took only a few days to happen, but would need a hundred years to mend. It is also the intensely human story of the men and women who risked their lives and pitted their strength and strategy against this red terror of the forest."

Now For Some Non-Fiction

   Not all of Stewart's work is going to be covered, but if you are growing impatient and want to read a book about possible cannibalism among pioneers in the Sierra Nevada mountains, read Ordeal by Hunger (or just read the almost book length account about the Donner Party in Wikipedia.)

Travel

   You are not supposed to be travelling, but you can read about doing so. I covered books about trails and wandering around and included Stewart's The California Trail, He also wrote about Route 40 and the roads heading north to Alaska and south to Costa Rica. He travelled a lot to gather research about the names of places. That is Stewart pictured above with his wife.

Names

   The problems we are having now with many names was covered in my post - Names on the Land, which is also the title of one of Stewart's books. There are others by him about other names. The New York Review of Books re-publishes 'classics' and Names on the Land is one of them. It is fascinating and I have a copy if you want to borrow it. 

University Politics

   You probably aren't eager to tackle this topic which has been much in the news. Stewart did write about the subject and Year of the Oath has some relevance. When university professors were forced to sign an oath indicating they were not members of the Communist Party, Stewart objected and noted that "Men and Women of Spirit object to having a knife put at their throats." It takes a spirited individual these days to stand up to those now wielding the knives.

   

Sources: 

   This is now far too long.  To quickly see if Stewart is likely to interest you read the Wikipedia entry for him. This source is not being updated, but it is very good: George R. Stewart. This one is continually updated and very good. Earth Abides (there is also a Wikipedia entry for this book.)

   

   There is a copy of Earth Abides in the London Public Library System and at Western. Other books by Stewart available in the Western Libraries are listed below.

Books by George R. Stewart

   The books in red are available in the libraries of Western University for those who live in the London area and have access to the collections (Search done in December 2020).

Novels:

      

East of the Giants, Holt, 1938.

Doctor's Oral, Random House, 1939.

Storm (Book of the Month Club selection), Random House, 1941.

Fire, Random House, 1948.

Earth Abides, Random House, 1949, 3rd edition, Hermes, 1974.

Sheep Rock, Random House, 1951.

The Years of the City, Houghton, 1955.

Nonfiction:

Bret Harte, Houghton, 1931, reprinted, AMS Press, 1977.

Ordeal by Hunger, Holt, 1936, reprinted, Houghton, 1960, with a supplement and three accounts by survivors, 1992.

Names on the Land, Random House, 1944.

Man: An Autobiography, Random House, 1945.

The Year of the Oath, Doubleday, 1950 , reprinted, Da Capo Press, 1971.

U.S. 40 , Houghton, 1953, reprinted, Greenwood Press, 1973.

American Ways of Life, Doubleday, 1954, reprinted, Russell, 1971.

N.A. 1 , Houghton, 1957.

Pickett's Charge, Houghton, 1960.

The California Trail, McGraw, 1963.

Committee of Vigilance: Revolution in San Francisco, Houghton, 1964.

Good Lives, Houghton, 1967.

Not So Rich as You Think, Houghton, 1968.

American Place-Names, Oxford University Press, 1970.

Names on the Globe, Oxford University Press, 1975.

American Given Names: Their Origin and History in the Context of the English Language, Oxford University Press, 1979.

Also author of Technique of English Verse, 1930, Bibliography of the Writings of Bret Harte, 1933, and John Phoenix Esquire, 1937. Juveniles: To California by Covered Wagon, Random House, 1954.

The picture at the top is from the Berkeley Historical Plaque Project.  For a recent article about Earth Abides see this article in the Berkeley alumni magazine: "A Killer-Type Virus Ends the World! Revisiting Earth Abides, the Novel That Inspired Stephen King and Jimi Hendrix," by Pat Joseph, Summer 2020. 

Post Script: Western University has also started a digital plaque project. See: Western University Names.