OPINION: Good news — a UT alumnus launches coalition to improve campus climate for open discourse
A new alumni group has been established at the University of Texas at Austin to advocate for free speech and due process rights.
Former UT Austin student Clark Patterson, who graduated in 1988, started the UT-Austin Coalition for Open Discourse after witnessing two events at his alma mater.
Directed by UT Austin leadership, police arrested students participating in an Israeli-Palestinian conflict protest on campus earlier this year, as previously reported by The College Fix. “This order clearly violated the protesters’ First Amendment rights,” the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression stated.
Additionally, Patterson became concerned after the school ranked poorly in FIRE’s College Free Speech Rankings, receiving an overall score of 26 out of 100. FIRE also gave the university a “yellow light” rating, meaning the university could use at least one of its policies to restrict free speech.
“Our ultimate goal is for UT Austin to become a top 10 university on free speech and due process issues,” Patterson told FIRE. “FIRE’s ranking of UT Austin as 239th in the College Free Speech Rankings accurately demonstrates that UT has a long way to go. Our new UT free speech alumni group aims to push UT to significantly improve that ranking.”
Patterson also told FIRE the group “will vehemently oppose any anti-free speech and anti-due process legislation that may be proposed during the 2025 Texas legislative session.” Alongside launching this initiative, Patterson is running for Texas Congressional District 35 as a Libertarian candidate.
The new free speech group is welcome news, as the First Amendment is part of the foundation of our country.
The fight for free speech is foundational not only to preserving all fundamental liberties but also to creating a thriving academic environment, as true education requires open discourse.
Conservative voices should applaud this alumni group’s efforts to hold the university accountable and push back against any legislation that would further erode free expression.
It’s vital that both students and faculty at institutions like UT Austin take a bold stance for First Amendment rights on campus, regardless of politics.
This is especially important as pressure from university leaders and politicians to suppress speech continues to mount.
Thankfully, Patterson’s group is not the only new alumni coalition tackling the issue of free speech. An alumni group at MIT, the MIT Free Speech Alliance, is encouraging the university to adopt an institutional neutrality policy and enhance free speech protections, as previously reported by The College Fix.
Their recommendations include free speech training for students and reforms to the university’s discrimination and harassment response. The alliance seeks to ensure a robust culture of free expression at MIT.
MORE: Free speech group sues Indiana University over its bias reporting system
IMAGE: Clark Patterson 3/Youtube
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