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FIRE’s ‘Spotlight’ Database Featured in New ACTA Report

Today, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) releasedreport (PDF) finding that America’s leading public colleges and universities boast exorbitant costs and education services that don’t match their price tags. In addition to shedding light on problems like excessive administrative overhead, the new ACTA report claims that free speech on campus is in trouble.

ACTA used FIRE’s Spotlight database to examine the speech codes at the schools in its report, and the results are alarming. Out of the 52 institutions in ACTA’s study, only four do not jeopardize free speech. ACTA notes, “When faced with speech codes or harassment policies (whatever the name and whatever the guise), students will hold back from expressing controversial opinions or making forceful arguments, worried that they might face administrative or disciplinary repercussions for constitutionally-protected speech.”

In its report, ACTA says speech codes are ultimately a threat to everyone in a democratic society. Of course, FIRE strongly agrees. Check out the rest of the report, Getting What You Pay For?, on ACTA's website!

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