Spring 2009

Newsletter of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Number 2 / Volume 7

In This Issue: FIRE Calls on Virginia Tech to Abandon 2 From the Board of Directors New Political Litmus Test for Faculty; 3 Michigan State Drops ‘Spamming’ Complaint Board of Visitors Agrees to Review Requirements Against Student Critic of Administration FIRE has called on Charles W. Steger, President of 4 Victory for Individual Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Rights at Pomona College to abandon proposed new guidelines for faculty assessment that would seriously violate 5 FIRE Cautions University faculty members’ academic freedom and their of North Carolina System constitutional right to freedom of conscience. Against Implementing Hate Speech Policy The proposal would force faculty members in Virginia 6 From the Campus Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Charles W. Steger, President of Virginia Tech Freedom Network to adhere to an ideological loyalty oath to an entirely 8 FIRE Pens Open Letter abstract concept—“diversity”—that can represent In short, universities must not tell their professors what to President Obama vastly different things to different people. Faculty they must believe, or even what they should believe, lest are to be evaluated with “special attention” to the the whole process of intellectual inquiry and innovation 8 FIRE’s Adam Kissel candidate’s “involvement in diversity initiatives.” end before it even starts. By requiring candidates Wins Education Writers This includes “demonstrating accomplishments and for promotion and tenure to demonstrate an active Association Award significant contributions pertinent to the candidate’s involvement in “diversity initiatives,” Virginia Tech 9 Wright State University field” in areas such as “Publications,” “Courses impermissibly forces faculty members to confess both by Bans Christian Group taught,” “Competitive grants,” and other areas of word and by act their faith in the opinion that “diversity” from Campus professional contribution. is essential to their teaching and academic life.

10 From the Director of Development The use of such evaluative criteria is an unacceptable UPDATE: After FIRE and the American Council hindrance to faculty members’ moral and intellectual of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) wrote the school’s 11 Fanning the Flames agency. Although expecting candidates to entire Board of Visitors, requesting a full review of 12 The Last Word demonstrate such an involvement in every area of the proposed guidelines, the Board’s Rector, John R. their work may seem admirable and innocuous, it has Lawson, II, notified ACTA on April 1 that the Board the practical effect of imposing on them an ideological would fully review Virginia Tech’s diversity and tenure loyalty oath to adhere to Virginia Tech’s current policies university-wide. perspectives on bias, race, gender, and culture.

“Virginia Tech is forcing faculty members to agree with FIRE’s letter reminds Virginia Tech that it is fully specific political views in order to succeed in their bound by the First Amendment as a public university. profession,” Adam Kissel, Director of FIRE’s Individual 601 Walnut Street • Suite 510 We also point out that dictating political beliefs by Rights Defense Program, said. “Virginia Tech is free to requiring that faculty demonstrate a commitment to promote diversity, but not to mandate ideological Philadelphia, PA 19106 “diversity initiatives” opposes the principles and commitments in faculty review dossiers. It is a shame 215.717.3473 tel statements of the American Association of University that the Board of Visitors must step in to protect the 215.717.3440 fax Professors (AAUP). faculty from these violations of their rights.” www.thefire.org 1 From the Board of Directors

Harvey A. Silverglate

While FIRE’s hallmark has from its inception been to stick to its Joining me in this venture is Harvard alumnus Robert Freedman, a principles regardless of whose ox is gored, its strategies and tactics Philadelphia lawyer and long-time FIRE supporter. Together, we have evolved. Thus, as FIRE nears its tenth anniversary, one can list have collected several hundred signatures on our nominating the various approaches it has developed to support procedural petitions and actually done the unthinkable—run a campaign! fairness, academic freedom, and related values in higher education: We have set up websites (www.HarveySilverglate.com and the Torch blog that regularly updates readers (providing sunlight, that www.FreedmanForOverseer.com), written op-eds (“Meanwhile, at most effective disinfectant); the burgeoning Campus Freedom Harvard…” March 23, 2009, Forbes.com), and granted press Network (CFN), which guides students and faculty in campus interviews (“Free Speech at Harvard,” February 25, 2009, The activism to change illiberal policies; and the Robert H. Jackson Globe; “Silverglate seeks spot as university overseer,” February 19, fellowships, which grant recent law school graduates an opportunity 2009, The Harvard Law Record). If successful, we hope to convince to explore higher education law and First Amendment other reform-minded Harvard grads to run next year, and the year jurisprudence. And the list goes on. after. Within three years, we can have a critical mass of new board members to join with any current members who are serious about improving the university in all of the ways that really matter. Another strategy is now in the early stages of formulation: The exercise of alumni power in gaining seats on university governing boards and injecting real-life experience into the often Even if we don’t succeed on this first attempt, a major initiative to isolated world of the university. As of publication, I’m in the midst encourage and systematically guide alumni of other universities that of a real- life test run. I have been campaigning, as an alumni petition have powerful alumni-elected bodies is a potentially important candidate, for a seat on Harvard’s Board of Overseers, the university’s direction for FIRE and its allies. We can thus begin to restore liberty second most powerful (and oldest) governing body. Traditionally, the and fairness on our campuses from the inside, supplementing FIRE’s mainstream Harvard Alumni Association selects eight candidates campaigns from the outside. Other organizations, such as the each year to run for five open seats on the thirty-member Board. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni, have for years been victors are always assumed to oversee without upsetting the apple emphasizing the important role that alumni can play in restoring the cart too much. The apple cart, of course, is a university run primarily campus culture, and now a national, organized effort to enlist alumni by administrators (a burgeoning class of increasingly insulated voting power may at last be on the horizon. bureaucrats) and by the most politically ambitious elements of the faculty. FIRE knows the tools by which these persons govern the lives of students and teachers—speech codes, kangaroo courts, and other Harvard’s balloting continues until May 29th, with the winners such ideologically-driven tyrannies. announced at Commencement on June 4th. Stay tuned.

Harvey A. Silverglate Chairman

2 Spring 2009 Michigan State Drops ‘Spamming’ Complaint Against Student Critic of Administration

In a significant victory for freedom of expression on campus, Michigan State University has withdrawn “spamming” charges against a student government leader who criticized administration plans in an e-mail to professors. MSU junior Kara Spencer had carefully selected and e-mailed eight percent of MSU’s 5,000 faculty members, encouraging them to express their views about proposed changes to the academic calendar. Spencer’s cause has been supported by FIRE and a dozen other civil liberties organizations.

“Michigan State did the right thing by withdrawing its bogus Foundation (EFF), wrote ‘spam’ charges against a student leader who was simply exercising an open letter to President her rights,” FIRE President said. “Now MSU Simon challenging both the needs to suspend its unconstitutional spam policy so that policy and its application students like Kara cannot be punished for responsibly engaging against Spencer. the MSU community. Of course, FIRE would be happy to advise MSU about pitfalls to avoid while crafting an effective spam policy, but the existing policy must go as soon as possible.” In the wake of Spencer’s submission of her appeal and the open letter, Spencer told the University Committee on Student Affairs Spencer learned Thursday (UCSA), a committee comprised of students, faculty, and that the charges had administrators, that she would send individual faculty been “withdrawn by Lou Anna K. Simon members a letter outlining her concerns about the changes to the Complainant(s).” An President of Michigan State University the academic calendar. Spencer carefully selected 391 faculty attorney for Michigan members and e-mailed them, arguing that the proposed State told FIRE that Spencer’s warning will be removed from changes “will greatly affect both faculty and students alike” and her file and that students in Spencer’s position will not be calling for “an inclusive dialogue among members of the referred for disciplinary action while the university is reviewing University community.” the policy. However, Michigan State has so far refused to suspend or revoke the unconstitutional policy, leaving students under the impression that it is still being enforced. Despite the fact that her e-mail was timely, carefully targeted, and concerned a campus issue, Spencer was found guilty of violating MSU’s “spam” policy. A formal warning was placed Until the unconstitutional policy is suspended or revoked, in Spencer’s file, which threatened her chances of obtaining Michigan State will remain on FIRE’s Red Alert list of employment or attending graduate school. the worst offenders against campus liberty, together with four other schools that FIRE believes prospective students should avoid in order to protect their rights: Brandeis In response to the unjustifiable prosecution of Spencer, thirteen University, Colorado College, Johns Hopkins University, civil liberties organizations, led by FIRE and the Electronic Frontier and Tufts University.

3 Victory for Individual Rights at Pomona College: No-Trespassing Order Reversed for Two Students Who Asked “Disruptive” Questions

Pomona College has reversed its no-trespassing order against two Claremont McKenna College (CMC) students who videotaped and asked several questions at a public discussion led by a Planned Parenthood representative during Abortion Awareness Week. Two Pomona deans called the questions “disruptive” and instituted the ban without any due process—i.e., without giving the students a hearing or any chance to refute allegations levied by hostile witnesses. After receiving advice from FIRE, the students vindicated themselves in an impromptu hearing, and CMC’s president publicly apologized for the denial of the students’ rights to due process and freedom of speech.

Holmes also demanded that “all original and copies of the recording... must be surrendered to the Office of Student Affairs” by March 6 on penalty of “further action from the college.”

The students refused to hand over the tape, and they promised to fight these abuses of individual rights. The Claremont Conservative published accounts of the actions against the students, alerting FIRE to the incident. A Facebook group in defense of the two students quickly grew to over 500 members, and many angry students and alumni wrote letters to administrators at both Pomona and CMC. FIRE consulted extensively with one of the students on On March 2, the students were summarily “banned from the Saturday, March 7. By Sunday, March 8, Dean Feldblum had entire Pomona College campus” in a hand-delivered letter. received enough pressure to send out a student-wide e-mail, The no-trespassing order extended to the entire Pomona which claimed that the ban was prompted by “non-speech campus except for any classes the students might choose to behavior, and not the content of speech or expression.” take at Pomona. In the letter, Dean Holmes inferred that the Strangely, despite the fact that some of the strongest student students’ “intentional conduct” was “designed to disrupt leaders on one side of the debate had been banned from the proceedings, intimidate participants, and chill the free Pomona, Feldblum also offered to hold a new “open forum on exchange of ideas.” abortion” to be held on the Pomona campus rather than on the CMC campus (CMC had agreed to co-host the forum).

Holmes warned that additional charges might be filed for “invasion of privacy and misappropriation of another person’s After public outcry, the two banned students finally got image without consent, and/or portraying an individual in a their impromptu hearing on March 8. On March 9, the false light.” Holmes further threatened to file charges for no-trespassing order was lifted. Feldblum claimed that trespassing in violation of the ban and warned against using the the lifting of the ban stemmed from the discovery of e-mails of participants for the purpose of “cyber-harassment.” “new information.”

4 Spring 2009 FIRE Cautions University of North Carolina System Against Implementing Hate Speech Policy

FIRE recently sent a letter arguing against the implementation of a system-wide hate speech code to University of North Carolina President Erskine Bowles and the UNC Study Commission to Review Student Codes of Conduct as They Relate to Hate Crimes. Bowles formed the study commission following the discovery of racist comments painted in North Carolina State University’s Free Expression Tunnel after President Barack Obama’s victory last November. In FIRE’s letter, Director of Legal and Public Advocacy Will Creeley argued that new prohibitions against hate speech on campus would likely violate the First Amendment rights of students and were unnecessary in light of existing prohibitions against racial harassment and true threats.

the marketplace of ideas, it is through exposure to falsehoods that we learn what is true. Once people no longer have to defend their beliefs and values, those ideas lose their vitality, becoming merely rote formulas instead of deep, living, and creative convictions.

Rather than prove the need for hate speech codes, then, the reaction to the ugly, racist speech discovered in North Carolina State University’s Free Expression Tunnel demonstrates just the opposite. Confronted with speech with which they strongly disagreed, most students and administrators answered not with unthinking censorship After surveying the applicable case law establishing that the First but with more speech. This is as it should be: students must Amendment protects deeply offensive—even racist—speech on be trusted with the ability to evaluate and respond to ideas campus, Creeley argued that more speech, rather than simple on their own. Instituting a policy that simply silences censorship, is the best response to ugly incidents like that at reprehensible speech through censorship and punishment North Carolina State University (NCSU). Creeley wrote: would deprive UNC students of the opportunity to learn from the many lessons offered by directly confronting hate and ignorance—and the opportunity to change minds via [T]he First Amendment is designed in part to protect dialogue. Further, teaching students to reflexively rely on precisely that speech which a community finds most official censorship when dealing with deeply offensive disagreeable, most offensive, and most antithetical to that speech is infantilizing and misleading. In the world outside community’s values. This protection stems directly from a of UNC, students will not enjoy the false luxury of freedom deep, abiding respect for the intelligence of the American from offense. citizen. Rather than allow government censors to decide which ideas, no matter how hateful, reach our ears, the First Amendment entrusts adult citizens with the power to judge In arguing against adopting a hate speech code on UNC the merit of speech for themselves, answering only to the campuses, FIRE joined the American Civil Liberties Union of dictates of their own conscience. In his seminal treatise On North Carolina Legal Foundation, which reached much the same Liberty, political philosopher John Stuart Mill noted that in conclusion in its own letter to Bowles last December.

5 From the

CFN Surpasses 2,000 Member Mark

The Campus Freedom Network has grown considerably over the last few months. In February, we announced that FIRE had registered over 2,000 members. Our 2,000th member, Daniel Guglielmo of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, received a bundle of FIRE goodies including a FIRE hooded sweatshirt, a FIRE baseball cap, a copy of Indoctrinate U, and a copy of The Shadow University autographed by co-authors and FIRE co-founders and .

When Daniel registered for the CFN, he described his reason for joining: “I believe FIRE stands for a good cause and I fully support their efforts.” Daniel is concerned by how few people are aware of the threat to liberty on campus. He plans to fight that ignorance by wearing his FIRE swag around campus, recruiting his friends to the CFN, and hosting a FIRE speaker. We appreciate Daniel’s support and willingness to work for liberty on his campus.

A fan of the CFN? Don’t forget about the $25,000 Matching Gift Fund that FIRE President Greg Lukianoff set up in support of the CFN. Our goal is to raise an additional $25,000 from individual donors to ensure the CFN has the resources it needs to continue to create lasting change on college campuses. If you want to help us reach our goal by donating to the fund, just specify so when you make your gift. Thank you for your support!

6 Spring 2009 FIRE Announces 2nd Annual Campus Freedom Network Student Conference

After the smashing success Guide to Religious Liberty on Campus, and co-author with of FIRE’s first Campus Harvey Silverglate and Greg Lukianoff of FIRE's Guide to Free Freedom Network Student Speech on Campus. French led the successful litigation against Conference, FIRE is proud Temple University’s speech code in DeJohn v. Temple University to announce that the in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. second annual Campus Freedom Network Student Conference will be held Daphne Patai is a professor at the University of Massachusetts from June 18–20. FIRE at Amherst and a member of FIRE's Board of Directors. will bring about forty A long-time commentator on higher education, she has authored students to historic and edited twelve books, most recently What Price Utopia: Philadelphia, where they Essays on Ideological Policing, Feminism, and Academic Affairs. will hear from some of the nation’s leading experts on Derek Shaffer is a graduate of and professor at Stanford Law First Amendment rights. School and Executive Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center. He was a panelist at the CFN conference last year. The conference will begin with a reception and dinner on Thursday evening, followed by a day and a half of lectures and Friday afternoon, FIRE President Greg Lukianoff will give a panels. The focus of the conference is students’ rights: their lecture on the rights that students have on campus. Samantha philosophical foundation, their legal reasoning, and a primer on Harris, FIRE’s Director of Speech Code Research, will conduct how to defend them and reform the students’ campuses a seminar on speech codes and how students can navigate and for liberty. combat constitutional problems with their university’s policies.

KC Johnson, professor at Brooklyn College and the City Documentary producer and filmmaker Andrew Marcus will run University of Graduate School and co-author of Until a session on new media. Andrew is a long-time friend of FIRE. Proven Innocent: and the Shameful Injustices He has produced Political Correctness vs. Freedom of Thought— of the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case, will give the opening remarks on The Keith John Sampson Story, a documentary about FIRE’s case Thursday evening. Professor Johnson gave the keynote address at at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, where last year’s CFN conference. student-employee Keith John Sampson was found guilty of racial harassment for reading an anti-Klan book. Andrew also Wendy Kaminer will give the keynote address on Friday night. produced the FIRE videos FIRE on Campus: An Introduction to Kaminer is a member of FIRE's Board of Advisors and a the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and FIRE in long-time champion of freedom of speech. She has written eight Action: Valdosta State University with , books, most recently Worst Instincts: Cowardice, Conformity, and producer of Indoctrinate U. the ACLU. Kaminer's articles and essays have been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, The Wall Street The CFN conference once again promises to be an exciting and Journal, The American Prospect, Dissent, The Nation, and educational experience for all of the students involved. Newsweek. She is also a columnist for Free Inquiry.

Harvey Silverglate, Chairman of FIRE's Board of Directors and famed civil liberties attorney, will open the conference on Friday morning with a speech about the founding of FIRE. He will then moderate a panel on the philosophical underpinnings of FIRE's mission. Panelists will include David French, Daphne Patai, and Derek Shaffer.

Former FIRE president David French is currently the Director of the Alliance Defense Fund's Center for Academic Freedom. He is a former lecturer at Cornell Law School, author of FIRE's

7 FIRE Pens Open Letter to President Obama Asks for Help Fighting Unconstitutional Speech Codes on College Campuses

On Inauguration Day, FIRE sent President Barack Obama an open letter requesting that, as a constitutional lawyer and the leader of the nation’s executive branch, he and his administration join the fight against college and university speech codes that are infringing on the rights of millions of our nation’s college students.

“Millions of American students are being taught that colleges have the “FIRE asks for President Obama’s help in ending restrictions on student power to censor and punish speech that the Bill of Rights protects,” Greg and faculty rights, because our nation’s institutions of higher education Lukianoff, FIRE’s president, said. “Failing to educate an entire have seemingly ignored clear pronouncements from both the legislative generation about our constitutional ideals of liberty—and, still worse, and judicial branches,” Will Creeley, FIRE’s Director of Legal and actually teaching students that they have a duty to censor opinions with Public Advocacy, said. “College harassment policies have inexplicably which they disagree—means that it will not be long before these illiberal failed to adhere to the precise legal standard announced by the United attitudes result in severe consequences for our Republic.” States Supreme Court in Davis v. Monroe County Board of Education, and Congress, while Obama was a U.S. Senator, issued its second ‘sense of Congress’ resolution in just ten years on the value of free speech on FIRE’s letter informed President Obama that “despite ten federal campus, but to little practical result.” court decisions unequivocally striking down campus speech codes on First Amendment grounds from 1989 to 2008, the number of unconstitutional restrictions on campus speech actually has In Davis, the Court defined student-on-student harassment as dramatically increased during that time.” FIRE’s detailed study conduct that is “so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive, and Spotlight on Speech Codes 2009: The State of Free Speech on Our Nation’s that so undermines and detracts from the victims’ educational Campuses found that 77% of public colleges and universities maintain experience, that the victim-students are effectively denied equal access speech codes that fail to pass constitutional muster. to an institution’s resources and opportunities.”

FIRE also pointed out that public universities frequently punish protected “If President Obama simply speaks out against speech codes, colleges will get expression despite being forbidden to do so by the First Amendment. the message that they must finally begin to obey the law,” Lukianoff said.

FIRE’s Adam Kissel Wins Education Writers Association Award

FIRE is proud to announce that Adam Kissel, Director of FIRE’s A panel of ten distinguished judges selected the winners out of 273 Individual Rights Defense Program, has won a First Prize award in entries, all of which were published or broadcast during 2008. Other the Education Writers Association’s 2008 National Awards for award winners include Scott Jaschik from Inside Higher Ed, Brad Heath Education Reporting. The annual awards honor the best education and Blake Morrison of USA Today, Lizette Alvarez of The New York reporting in print, online, and broadcast media. Adam’s article Times, and Peter Schmidt from The Chronicle of Higher Education. “Thought Reform at the University of Delaware” was first The awards will be given at a ceremony during the Education Writers published in FIRE’s academic journal, The Lantern, and won in Association’s 62nd National Seminar on May 2 in Washington, D.C. the competition’s Magazines category. Everyone here at FIRE congratulates Adam on winning this prestigious award!

8 Spring 2009 Wright State University Bans Christian Group from Campus

In January of this year, Wright State University banned a Christian group from meeting on campus because of its requirement that voting members be Christian and its refusal to accept “nondiscrimination” language that would eliminate faith-based standards for its voting members. After public pressure from FIRE, however, the school has since recognized the group for the remainder of the semester.

“A Christian group has the right to be Christian, a Jewish Wright State responded to FIRE’s press release by stating, group has the right to be Jewish, and a Muslim group has the “[The] Campus Bible Fellowship will have to go through the right to be Muslim,” said FIRE President Greg Lukianoff. same process every other student organization has to go “Courts have affirmed this principle time and time again. It is through for re-recognition when we do that for the fall shocking that in a free society, public universities like Wright quarter. There is no distinction between it and any other State still don’t seem to understand or respect this crucial student organization on Wright State’s campus.” component of religious liberty.”

After more than 30 years of existence as a registered student organization at Wright State, the Campus Bible Fellowship (CBF) was prohibited from re-registering in 2009. According to CBF representatives, CBF was informed by Wright State’s Office of Student Activities that its registration was being denied for two reasons. First, CBF refused to adopt university- mandated nondiscrimination language in its membership requirements that would have stripped the group of the right to require voting members to adhere to religious and behavioral standards. Second, Wright State objected to the requirement in CBF’s constitution that voting members “accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior” and subscribe to FIRE is glad that Wright State has re-recognized CBF and that the group’s articles of faith. the group will once again be able to meet on campus, at least for this semester. But the university has done nothing to CBF, which has been unable to meet on campus since the address the medium- and long-term problem with its policies. decision, contacted FIRE for help. FIRE wrote to Wright State Having taken the first step towards respecting the rights of the President David R. Hopkins on February 12, informing him Campus Bible Fellowship, Wright State now needs to finish of federal legal precedent setting forth the principle that “if the job. Wright State is to allow expressive organizations to exist on its campus at all, it must allow religious organizations to exist, to define their missions, [and] to select their own members.”

9 From the Director of Development

Leave a Lasting Legacy of Liberty by Alisha C. Glennon

Alisha C. Glennon

“We want our grandchildren to be among the millions who have profited from FIRE’s hard work. We want them to be educated in a campus culture that fosters innovation and individual liberty, not repression.” – Mike and Bonnie Donahue, FIRE donors

Many of you, like Mike and Bonnie Donahue, are concerned about Planned gifts not only benefit FIRE and the thousands of students the state of free speech on our nation’s campuses—not because you are and faculty that we serve, but they can also benefit you. Through currently enrolled in college, but because those dearest to you are, and planned giving, FIRE donors can receive personal benefits that because you know that America’s future depends on their education. include seeing significant tax savings, receiving income Mike and Bonnie decided that they didn’t want to leave their throughout their lifetime, honoring a loved one through a gift, grandchildren’s futures to chance. Through their decision to include and enjoying the feeling of helping students and professors for FIRE in their estate plans, they chose to invest in a future of free generations to come. From charitable remainder trusts to gifts of speech and to leave a legacy of liberty that will have an impact far life insurance, FIRE is looking forward to working with you to beyond their own lifetimes. uncover the perfect gift that meets the needs of you and your family and fulfills your philanthropic vision. FIRE exists to combat the all-too-common injustices and infringements of rights in the higher education system, and we fight If you aren’t ready to update your estate plans today, just send a quick daily on the front lines to bring justice and to restore rights to note to your financial planner asking him or her to remind you to campuses. FIRE’s staff is committed to protecting civil liberties at consider FIRE the next time you are in the office. America’s colleges and universities, but without the generosity of dedicated supporters like you, none of our work would be possible.

FIRE deeply appreciates the outstanding support of our donors, and in today’s economic climate, we want to give you every opportunity Alisha is a Philadelphia native who graduated from the College of William to continue to support the cause of liberty. Over the years, a handful and Mary with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Business Marketing. of donors have shared with us their decision to include FIRE in their While in school, she was a member of Chi Omega sorority and played an estate plans. Both grateful for their generosity and honored that they active role on the chapter’s Philanthropy Committee. Alisha leads FIRE's entrust us with their legacy, we want to celebrate these individuals and development activities including annual giving, donor relations, foundation make it easier for even more supporters to include us in their grants, and fundraising events including this year’s 10th Anniversary planning. This issue of The FIRE Quarterly is especially significant for Celebration Dinner. Alisha is a member of the Junior League of Philadelphia FIRE’s development team. We are excited to introduce a planned and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Philadelphia Chapter. giving program into FIRE’s fundraising efforts and to invite you to leave a lasting legacy of your own.

10 Spring 2009 Fanning the Flames About the Publication

The FIRE Quarterly is published four times per year by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. FIRE is eager to induct more members into our newly established Eternal Flame Society. The mission of FIRE is to defend and If you decide to make a planned gift to FIRE, make sure to let us know so we can honor you sustain individual rights at America’s increasingly repressive and partisan as an Eternal Flame and recognize you in our Annual Report. colleges and universities. These rights include freedom of speech, legal As an Eternal Flame, your planned gift will allow the light of liberty to continue burning equality, due process, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience—the brightly on college and university campuses for generations to come. essential qualities of individual liberty and dignity. FIRE’s core mission is to protect the unprotected and to educate the public and communities of concerned Americans about the threats How to Add FIRE to Your Will: to these rights on our campuses and about the means to preserve them. Planned Giving Made Easy FIRE is a charitable and educational tax-exempt foundation within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the The quickest and easiest way to include FIRE in your estate plans is to leave an unrestricted gift Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to to FIRE by adding the following language to your will: FIRE are deductible to the fullest extent provided by tax laws. “I give to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a national charitable organization headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, ______% of my estate Editor: Erin Osovets (or the sum of $______).” Design & Layout: Rachael Frank Are you worried about giving part of your estate to a charity instead of to your children or relatives? Consider this: leaving a gift to FIRE in your will may actually reduce the tax burden HOW TO REACH US: on your heirs. To find out exactly how leaving a gift to FIRE may benefit your family, consult with your financial advisor.

For more information about other planned giving options, call our development office at 215-717-3473 or e-mail us at [email protected]. We would be happy to send you FIRE’s planned giving brochure.

601 Walnut Street • Suite 510 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Please visit 215.717.3473 tel for comprehensive information on the state of liberty on America’s campuses, 215.717.3440 fax including pages for individual academic institutions, relevant links to our research www.thefire.org of speech codes, and case materials from FIRE’s Individual Rights Defense Program.

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FIRE thanks all of its supporters for their dedication to FIRE and its mission. ••• If you would like to donate to FIRE, please visit www.thefire.org/support or call 215.717.3473.

The Last Word: FIRE to Hold 10th Anniversary Celebration in

This year, FIRE is celebrating its ten-year anniversary. To commemorate this landmark year, we will be hosting a dinner in New York City for our supporters. Eugene Volokh, noted UCLA law professor and creator of “The Volokh Conspiracy” blog, will deliver the keynote address. Contributing editor for The Atlantic and FIRE Board Member Virginia Postrel will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening, and renowned columnist, historian, and music critic Nat Hentoff will give opening remarks and serve as the honorary dinner chairman.

The event will take place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on the evening of October 22, 2009. With Eugene, Virginia, and Nat sharing a stage, this is sure to be a fun and entertaining night! As the date approaches, we will keep you updated on the event details, but feel free to inquire about it now by contacting Alisha Glennon, FIRE’s Director of Development, at 215-717-3473 or [email protected]. Online event registration will soon be available on FIRE’s website. Eugene Volokh

12 Spring 2009