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2016 FIRE Student Network Conference Begins Today!

It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for!

The 2016 FIRE Student Network (FSN) Conference kicks off this afternoon in Philadelphia. Students from across the country are coming together for a weekend packed with education, collaboration, networking, and fun. We are thrilled to be joined by Alice Dreger, American historian of medicine, sex, and science, and a mainstream nonfiction writer; and Jason Riley, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, columnist for The Wall Street Journal, and commentator for Fox News. Dreger and Riley will address the conference and answer questions tonight and tomorrow night, respectively.

Both Dreger and Riley have faced controversy and censorship on campus in the past year due to their published works. Dreger resigned from her professor position at Northwestern University in 2015 after her dean censored an article in a faculty journal she edited. Riley was disinvited from a scheduled speaking engagement at Virginia Tech because of vague concerns that his opinions might upset people on campus.

In addition to our inspiring keynote speakers, students can look forward to presentations, workshops, and breakout sessions with FIRE staff and interns. Throughout the weekend, students will also have plenty of opportunities to make new contacts, friends, and allies in the fight to defend free speech and due process rights on campus.

Each year, the FSN conference offers students a rewarding opportunity to learn about their fundamental rights on campus, gain new perspective, and connect with other students from across the ideological spectrum. We are excited to meet the students at this year’s conference and to see what lessons and strategies they will bring back to their campus in the fall.

For those attending the conference—or those at home who want to follow along—don’t forget to use the #FSN16 hashtag on Twitter and Facebook this weekend!

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