Free speech on college campuses has been under attack in recent years, increasingly from students who have protested speakers whom they disagree with politically. These protests have succeeded in both cancelling events and creating disturbances through blockades, shouts, and even violence as was the case at Middlebury College. What responsibilities do universities hold to protect a climate that encourages the open and respectful exchange of ideas? Should “hate speech” be protected or are special protections needed to protect students from “offensive” discourse? What do universities owe students and speakers to protect their personal safety if protests break out?

Marieke Tuthill Beck-Coon, Director of Litigation, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education,
Harmeet K. Dhillon, Founding Partner, Dhillon Law Group
Professor Michael McConnell, Richard and Frances Mallery Professor and Director of the Constitutional Law Center, Stanford Law School
Elizabeth Wydra, President, Constitutional Accountability Center
Moderator: Hon. Sandra Ikuta, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Introduction: Joshua McDaniel, Horvitz & Levy LLP