Free Speech Forum

Free Speech for Campus, Inc. (FSFC), The Wisconsin Association of Scholars (WAS), and the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue (WICCD) will hold a forum on the subject of freedom of expression at Wisconsin universities on Friday, September 20, 2024 at 12:00 noon in Room 412 East of the Wisconsin State Capitol. 

Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman will be the keynote speaker at the event.  He will discuss the current state of free speech at UW institutions and efforts to expand free speech and civil discourse. 

Upon becoming president of the Universities of Wisconsin, Rothman prioritized free speech at UW institutions.  He has since implemented a ban on the use of DEI statements in the Universities of Wisconsin hiring process.  In late 2022, he approved a statewide student survey on free speech.  The survey of more than 10,000 students was conducted by Dr. Tim Shiell, a professor emeritus at UW-Stout and Director of the Menard Center for the Study of Institutions and Innovation.

Rothman also created the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue (WICCD), an entity of the Universities of Wisconsin system, that provides resources, opportunities, and support for teaching, learning, and practicing viewpoint diversity; freedom of expression; academic freedom; civil dialogue; and civic participation within our universities and communities.

State Representative Dave Murphy, Chairperson of the State Assembly’s Colleges and Universities Committee, will host a panel discussion on the legal framework for protecting academic freedom and freedom of expression.