Big Win for Students, Faculty as Furman University Adopts Free Speech Statement

Big Win for Students, Faculty as Furman University Adopts Free Speech Statement

Greenville, SC – Good news out of Furman University! Last week, Furman joined more than 100 other colleges and universities that have codified the expressive rights of their campus communities into official school policy. With this action, Furman’s leadership has proclaimed to the entire Furman community that the university is a place where ideas can be openly debated without fear of administrative reprisal.

Furman’s new policy statement — the Statement on Freedom of Inquiry and Expression — declares that the university “unequivocally affirms its commitment to free inquiry and free expression,” and states, “These core values uphold the foundational belief that diverse views and perspectives deserve to be articulated and heard, free from interference.”

The Furman board of trustees voted unanimously on Feb. 21 to adopt the statement after an endorsement by the president and the majority of the faculty, and became one of 107 colleges or college systems in the nation to adopt such a statement to protect free speech rights based on the “Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression at the University of Chicago,” better known as the Chicago Statement.

Alumni Advocacy

FIRE congratulates the entire campus community, including the Furman Free Speech Alliance, an alumni group dedicated to promoting free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity at Furman. The group has now met its first goal: “for the university to adopt the Chicago Statement on Freedom of Expression,” or an equivalent free speech statement. The alumni look forward to reforming the university’s policies and culture surrounding free expression in light of this development.

Focus on Civil Discourse

Over the last year, Furman has shown a growing interest in educating its students in the importance of civil discourse. The university’s On Discourse event series provides ongoing opportunities for students to hear from those with opposing viewpoints. We’d love to see Furman take free speech reform a step further by revising its problematic “red light” and “yellow light” policies to align with First Amendment standards and receive an overall “green light” rating from FIRE. We stand ready to assist the administration in this endeavor.

Want Your University to be Next?

Contact FIRE’s alumni department at alumni@thefire.org to learn more about how to start your own alumni group.

Related Articles

Source:

© 2024 Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. All rights reserved.


HERE Greenville

Share
Published by
HERE Greenville

Recent Posts

Hurricane Helene Causes Nearly $200 Million in Damage to South Carolina’s Timber Industry

Hurricane Helene Leaves $194 Million Impact on South Carolina Timber Industry Horry County, S.C. —…

15 hours ago

Charges Against South Carolina Forward Ashlyn Watkins Dismissed Amid Legal Proceedings

Charges Dismissed Against South Carolina Forward Ashlyn Watkins Columbia, S.C. - Suspended South Carolina forward…

15 hours ago

Columbia Woman Surprised by Large Snake in Bathroom

Columbia Woman Encounters Snake in Bathroom Columbia, South Carolina – In a surprising incident early…

15 hours ago

Execution of Inmate Richard Moore Marks South Carolina’s First Execution in 13 Years Amid Racial Controversy

Spartanburg, South Carolina Richard Moore, a 59-year-old inmate, was executed on Friday evening in South…

16 hours ago

Free Healthcare Clinic Set to Open in Greenville on February 1st and 2nd

Free Healthcare Clinic Coming to Greenville in February Greenville, mark your calendars! From **February 1st…

17 hours ago

Discovering the Sweet History of Double Cola in Greenville

Discovering the Sweet History of Double Cola in Greenville! Welcome to the charming city of…

17 hours ago