SpeechMatters

In the final episode of season four of the SpeechMatters podcast, guest host and former fellow Emerson Sykes of the ACLU sits down with UC Davis law professor and former fellow Brian Soucek to explore the idea of institutional neutrality in higher education and why neutrality may be a myth. Drawing on Soucek’s forthcoming book, “The Opinionated University,” the conversation examines whether universities can, or should remain neutral amid political polarization, how claims of neutrality can undermine academic freedom and what role administrators, faculty and students should play in shaping a university’s mission and values.

Episode Resources:

• The Opinionated University: Academic Freedom, Diversity, and the Myth of Neutrality in American Higher Education, Soucek
• Institutional Values, Academic Freedom, and the First Amendment | UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement

What does it take to create a campus where open dialogue and inclusion thrive side by side? Guest host Alex Kappus talks with Caroline Mehl, the co-founder and executive director of the Constructive Dialogue Institute, about how higher education can model the kind of discourse democracy demands. Together they explore the social science behind constructive dialogue, what leaders can do to foster trust and why free expression remains essential to learning and civic life.

Episode Resources:

• The Path Forward After Political Murder by Jonathan Haidt and Caroline Mehl, the Chronicle of Higher Education
• Higher Education’s Role in a Polarized America by Alex Kappus, Carnegie Blog
• Building Cultures of Constructive Dialogue: A Blueprint for Campus Leaders

In this episode, constitutional law scholar Timothy Zick joins us to discuss how President Trump’s second term is testing our commitments to free expression and academic freedom. From the chilling of faculty speech to the fraught intersection of the First and Second Amendments, Zick examines how executive overreach is placing the nation’s core democratic freedoms under unprecedented strain.

Episode Resources

• Thoughts on the First Substack
•  Trump 2.0: Executive Power and the First Amendment
• “New Threats to Campus Protest”

For this special Constitution Day episode, SpeechMatters is joined by Dr. Colleen Shogan, the former Archivist of the United States, to reflect on the enduring legacy of America’s founding documents. From the urgent need for a national “civics renaissance” to the risks of political interference in how we teach history, the conversation offers powerful insights into what it means to safeguard our democratic ideals in an era of polarization, misinformation and rapid technological change.

Episode Resources:

• America needs a civic education moonshot, before it’s too late
• The Declaration of Independence | National Archives
• https://www.inpursuit.org/ 

Politicians, professors and pundits all seem to be talking about viewpoint diversity, and questioning whether it is a robust part of college and university life. But what does viewpoint diversity mean and how do we evaluate if it is alive and well on campus? Jon Shields, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, shares his take on why having a diversity of views in the classroom serves democracy and offers ideas for fostering a climate of open inquiry and intellectual pluralism.

Episode Resources:

• "Closed Classrooms? An Analysis of College Syllabi on Contentious Issues," Working Paper Draft, July 10, 2025, with Yuval Avnur and Stephanie Muravchik
• "Liberal Professors Can Rescue the GOP," New York Times, 23 March 2023
• “I’m a Conservative Professor Who Opposed Safe Spaces. I was Wrong.” New York Times, 7 April 2022

In this episode, we explore a powerful VOICE project that uses art and dialogue to empower immigration-impacted communities to share their stories. Guests Dr. Laura Enriquez, Giovanna Itzel and Breana Figueroa Perez discuss their approach to fostering reflection, connection and understanding through "artivism." They explore how creative expression can bridge divides, challenge perceptions and ignite social change, and offer listeners inspiration to explore their own narratives.

Episode Resources:

• 2025 VOICE Recipients — UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement
• (Re)writing Migration Stories — Undocumented Student Equity Project

SpeechMatters kicks off our VOICE Summer Series by exploring the impact of the Civic Engagement Scholars Program (CESP) — a course created and taught by UC Santa Barbara VOICE recipients Katya Armistead and Viviana Marsano. Guest host Melanie Ziment talks with them and their students Sofia Aliamus and Ashley Segat about civic engagement education and how the course is inspiring the next generation of citizens to be active participants in their communities.

Episode Resources:

• Civic Engagement Scholars Program — VOICE Initiative Report
• Undergraduate Student Advocacy in the University of California System: a Handbook by Emma Tolliver, UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement  
• CHANGE! A Student Guide to Social Action by Scott Myers-Lipton
• Facing the Fracture: How to Navigate the Challenges of Living in a Divided Nation by Dr. Tania Israel

In this month’s episode, we explore how  generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping education — from how students learn to how educators teach. Digital Promise President and CEO Jean-Claude Brizard joins us to discuss the opportunities and challenges AI presents. Whether you are an educator, parent or student, or just curious about this innovative technology, the conversation offers valuable insights for navigating the future of education in the AI era.

Episode Resources:

• Artificial Intelligence in Education – Digital Promise
• ‘We Have to Really Rethink the Purpose of Education’ - The New York Times

SpeechMatters welcomes Jeremy Young from the American Association of Colleges and Universities for a conversation about ongoing attacks on higher education — and what’s at risk if we don’t defend our colleges and universities. Jeremy discusses why it’s critical for higher education leaders to speak with a united voice, especially in light of growing government interference and censorship efforts under the current administration.

Episode Resources

• A Call for Constructive Engagement | AAC&U
• Emerging From a Collective Silence, Universities Organize to Fight Trump - The New York Times

This month Michelle talks with UC Student Regent Josiah Beharry and Student Regent-Designate Sonya Brooks to explore the power of student leadership in shaping the university. Josiah and Sonya share their journeys to these roles, the challenges they have faced and strategies they have developed to advocate effectively. At a time when higher education is facing unprecedented challenges, their insights offer a hopeful vision for the positive power of speech.

Episode Resources:

• How research prepared Sonya Brooks to represent UC students on the Board of Regents | University of California
• UC Merced graduate student Josiah Beharry appointed as 2024-25 UC student Regent | University of California