Free Speech on Campus

Law 620
Spring 2024

Evaluation and Outcomes

Evaluation

  • Attendance and Participation (25%). You should attend seminar meetings and come prepared to discuss the assigned materials.

  • Presentations/Write-Ups (60%). During five seminar sessions (beginning on February 21) students will make presentations to the class on question related to the week’s free speech controversy, as well as submit a 1-2 page summary of your presentation.

    Specifically:

    • For each controversy, we’ve randomly assigned you to a group of 5 students (there are 4 groups for each controversy). The assignments are listed on each controversy webpage. For example, for the controversy on commencement speakers (“Provocateurs at Commencement”) the assignments are listed on the commencement controversy page.

    • If you’re in Group 1, your presentation should answer the question/address the topic in Question 1 under Class Presentations on each controversy page. If you’re in Group 2, answer Question 2, and so on.

    • Your group’s in-class presentation should be 10-15 minutes. Your group should also submit a 1-2 page summary of your presentation.

    • Each presentation/write-up will be 15% of your grade. We’ll drop your lowest score.

  • Short Essay (15%). Our last case controversy (on April 10) will focus on whether university leaders should stay neutral on matters of public policy. We’d like you to write a short essay on the topic, due on April 17.

    • Your essay should be no more than 5 pages (including references), double spaced with 1-inch margins, using 12-point Times New Roman font.

    • More detailed instructions are here.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the major justifications (theories) for free speech

  2. Evaluate doctrines governing free speech that are relevant to campus controversies

  3. Recognize the extent to which non-legalistic factors—especially political values and bias—affect how people (include judges) evaluate free speech claims

  4. Apply your knowledge to contemporary free-speech campus controversies

  5. Consider how theory and doctrine should inform university policies over free speech