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New student initiative to increase viewpoint diversity among faculty

At a time when left-wing student groups are forcefully trying to erode free speech protections at many universities – in the name of combating “hate” or “bias” – University of Maryland student groups from across the political spectrum are doing the exact opposite.

They held a “free speech rally” Saturday that was co-sponsored by a First Amendment-loving brewery, according to fellow co-sponsor Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, and included representatives from:

College Park Students for Liberty, the Black Student Union, Terps for Trump, the UMD chapters of the College Republicans, Youth for Johnson, Young Americans for Liberty, Turning Point USA

FIRE’s Catherine Sevcenko wrote in a post that each group spoke about itself and its “political convictions,” and they heard from student Nicole Sanders, who successfully challenged Blinn College for suppressing her pro-gun message.

MORE: College that censored pro-gun students will pay $50,000 to settle

Sanders explained “how being a plaintiff changed her entire outlook on life,” according to Sevcenko:

[O]ne of Nicole’s comments resonated particularly with the student activist crowd. When asked why she sued her college, she responded that her fellow students always told her that one person could never make a difference and she wanted to prove them wrong.

CEO Jim Caruso of Flying Dog Brewery, which started its 1st Amendment Society after winning a regulatory battle over its colorful beer labels, told students “not to think outside the box (where it’s cold and dark) but at the edge of the box, away from everyone else crowding the stuffy middle,” Sevcenko said:

Implicit in his remarks was the acknowledgment that staking out a position at the creative edge would do little good without the power of free expression to share those ideas with others.

MORE: Gun-rights advocacy too dangerous for Texas college to allow, lawsuit claims

The Diamondback also covered the rally:

Ethan Pritchard, chapter president of Students for Liberty, kicked off the evening with an address about his organization’s goals, including an initiative to increase diversity of ideas among newly hired faculty.

“The main issue is that [universities] are sending a message that it’s okay to shelter yourself and to just go without hearing other people’s opinions and that you’ll be fine your entire life, and that’s not how it is,” said Pritchard, a senior management major. …

“When this [litigation] process started, I was this shy, timid, meek little girl who was always afraid to say something; I always just agreed with everybody,” Sanders said. “And now I’m the complete opposite. I have no problem going on a campus and talking to students.”

The University of Maryland earned FIRE’s highest rating for free speech in February, several months after President Wallace Loh told the community he wouldn’t punish a student for an offensive email because it was protected speech. (He wavered a bit before reaching that conclusion.)

Read the FIRE post and Diamondback report.

CORRECTION: The article originally stated Students for Justice in Palestine was a participant. The group was approached about participating but declined, a spokesperson told The College Fix. The article has been amended accordingly.

MORE: Hey university presidents – ‘hate speech’ is free speech

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