In the current landscape of US Higher Education (HE), the promotion and preservation of freedom of speech stands as a fundamental pillar. However, for HE professionals, striking the balance between upholding the First Amendment and maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all students can be a challenging task.

Throughout our series The Interview, we’ve spoken to prominent figures in colleges across the country, who have revealed their strategic insights and practical approaches that their institutions employ to foster an environment where diverse viewpoints can flourish. 

These leaders share their perspectives on how universities can navigate the complexities of free speech while nurturing a culture of respectful dialogue and academic inquiry. Here’s what they have to say:

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1. Hearing Both Sides

First up, we have Salvador Mena, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at Rutgers University, speaking about the importance of hearing varying perspectives on important issues without restriction:

We have space reserved for controversial speakers, but we also ensure that there is space for counter-protesters to gather and express opposition to the speaker. We try to educate students on freedom of speech and the fact that varying perspectives must coexist. If we start silencing voices we don’t agree with, there is no line for who can and cannot use their voice.

Learn more from Salvador's experience and expertise in his full feature here.

2. Building Resilience 

In his interview with GoodCourse, Vice President for Student Engagement Michael Sanseviro gave insight into how his team builds resilience as a fundamental skill for their students at Georgia State University, helping them better navigate hard conversations:

Our function is not to protect students from these difficult conversations, but we want them to build a skill set that will help them manage personal and professional challenges in the future, and that’s why we launched a resiliency app called Panther Strong at the beginning of the pandemic. We’ve seen students who engage with Panther Strong’s resiliency-building prompts achieving better grades, demonstrating better retention, and successfully navigating academic and personal life.

Learn more from Michael's experience and expertise in his full feature here.

3. Starting at the Beginning

Next, Vice President of Student Affairs at Wichita State University Teri Hall shares how her team has found value in embedding principles of respectful free speech in the orientation stage of a student’s journey:

Freedom of expression and civil discourse are at the heart of our orientation program; from the very beginning, we're talking about the importance of free speech, and how it enables the rigorous debate on which our institutions are founded. It needs to be a tenet that we continue to uphold, and learning to have conversations across difference is an important life skill for students.

Learn more from Teri's experience and expertise in her full feature here.

4. Encouraging Academic Freedom

When GoodCourse sat down with Dr. Jose Dela Cruz, Vice President of Student Affairs at Portland Community College, he shared a thoughtful piece of advice on the role of academic freedom in promoting free speech in a community college setting:

Helping students understand the balance between free speech and hate speech is vital for critical discourse because it enables them to engage in conversations across difference without demonstrating threatening behaviors. To do that, we leverage the expertise of our faculty members, giving them the academic freedom to model challenging conversations in the classroom. As educators, we have to be mindful that students will take these skills into their communities and the workforce, so if they can’t engage in meaningful dialogue across difference, we haven’t done our jobs. 

Learn more from Jose's experience and expertise in his full feature here.

5. Providing Safe Spaces

Finally, Seval Yildirim, Chief Diversity Officer at the State University of New York at Buffalo, spoke with GoodCourse about a new initiative her team are putting into place to allow students to have difficult conversations in a safe environment, so they can practice for life beyond college:

Next fall, we're starting a series called Campus Community Conversations – the idea is we come together as a community to have conversations in a moderated environment, where each student, faculty and staff member will have an opportunity to express how they feel in a safe environment without being attacked for their views…We have to make room for everybody and their viewpoints.

Learn more from Seval's experience and expertise in her full feature here.

Conclusion

The promotion of freedom of speech within US Higher Education is not merely a theoretical concept but a practical and essential endeavor. The insights shared by university leaders in The Interview highlight the multifaceted approaches institutions are taking to foster environments where diverse viewpoints can coexist and flourish. From reserving spaces for both speakers and counter-protesters, building student resilience, embedding free speech principles from orientation, leveraging academic freedom, to providing safe spaces for dialogue, these strategies collectively create a robust framework for free expression.

About GoodCourse

Universities use GoodCourse to improve student outcomes by delivering impactful training courses, built for today’s students — by pairing social-media-style content with expert research.

From consent and harassment prevention to learning about free speech, universities trust GoodCourse to provide students and staff with the tools they need to build safer, more inclusive campuses.

Talk to a member of our team today to learn about how other universities are improving student outcomes, student safety, and meeting regulatory requirements.