Bertrand Russell and the Alumni Free Speech Alliance: A Shared Mandate
Bertrand Russell once gave this timeless advice to students and truth-seekers alike: “When you are studying any matter or considering any philosophy, ask yourself only what are the facts and what is the truth that the facts bear out… Never let yourself be diverted either by what you wish to believe, or by what you […]
Free Speech or Free Pass? Campus Chaos and the Line Between Protest and Intimidation
At this year’s Cascade PBS Ideas Festival, a high-wattage panel moderated by libertarian writer Nick Gillespie tackled the firestorm on college campuses—with sharp takes from conservative commentator Brandi Kruse and civil liberties champion Nadine Strossen. Kruse focused on the University of Washington, where she argued school officials have misused “free speech” protections to shield violence […]
“There Are No Truly Private Universities Anymore”
Speaking for the Stand Columbia Society, Tao Tan is urging elite institutions—especially Columbia—to drop the illusion that they’re purely “private” when their survival increasingly depends on public money. “It wasn’t that long ago—in fact, it was the 1980s—when some of the old hands at Columbia will tell you there were months when Columbia wasn’t sure […]
Ted Mitchell and the Elite Higher Ed Mindset: Blame the Public, Dodge Reform
Ted Mitchell, President of the American Council on Education, recently gave a telling insight into how the higher-ed establishment sees the crisis it’s facing. He recalled telling ACE’s board that his top priority was: “Addressing the negative narrative about higher education.” Rather than acknowledge real, long-building concerns about cost, politicization, or institutional arrogance, Mitchell and […]
Optimization Over Education: The AI Dilemma on Campus
On a recent episode of Loopcast, Erika Ahern unpacks a chilling case study out of Columbia University—one that might say more about the future of higher ed than any campus protest or policy memo. Meet Lee, a student who used ChatGPT to float through Ivy League coursework with minimal effort. When asked why he fought […]
“This Class May Not Be for You”
Brandon Warmke, incoming Associate Professor of Humanities at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School of Classical and Civic Education, shared how he lays down the law—philosophically and pedagogically—on day one. He reads a statement on academic freedom straight from his syllabus (sometimes twice), establishing the foundation of his classroom: “This institution respects free inquiry and […]
Anti-Fragile Minds: Learning Through Pain
Jonathan Haidt introduces anti-fragility—a concept coined by Nassim Taleb to describe systems that improve through stress. Bones. Immune systems. Markets. Minds. “The immune system has to face challenges in order to learn.” Then psychologist Susan David closes with a beautiful—and brutal—truth: “Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility. You are healthy until you are not. […]
The Decline in Academic Standards: One Professor Speaks Out
Associate Professor Kate Epstein of Rutgers–Camden teaches U.S. history, military and diplomatic history, and historical methods. In a recent interview, she gave voice to what many in academia know but few will say publicly: student performance is collapsing, and standards are being quietly lowered across the board. “I noticed a sharp downturn in their ability […]
A Turning Point at UVA
The Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA) commends the Jefferson Council for its years of tireless work exposing and documenting (as seen in the news paper advertisement on the right) the University of Virginia administration’s failures to uphold the principles of free expression, academic freedom, and transparency. President Jim Ryan’s resignation is a clear sign that […]
Dead Poets, Free Thinkers, and the Power of Saying Nothing
The First Amendment Also Protects Your Right to Stay Silent When we think about free speech, we usually think about the right to speak up. But the First Amendment guarantees something just as vital: the right to stay silent. That’s the core message in a powerful video from FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and […]
