Faculty Rights

FIRE is a faculty rights organization that can help you defend your rights on campus because higher education should be a marketplace of ideas. Public college and university faculty who face a threat of sanction by their institution or have been punished for expressive activity — whether it’s instruction, scholarship, or speaking on issues of public concern — can submit matters for Faculty Legal Defense Fund consideration. Our staff will quickly review the matter and, if it falls within FLDF’s mandate, connect the faculty member with one of the experienced nearby lawyers in the FLDF network for assistance. 

SUBMIT CASE TO FIRE'S Faculty LEGAL DEFENSE FUND

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Silence in the Classroom: The 2024 FIRE Faculty Survey Report

FIRE’s 2024 report finds that faculty members are four times more likely to self-censor than they were in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War and McCarthyism. 

Read the Report

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Coastal Carolina University Professor Steven Earnest
"Without the help and leadership of FIRE, I am certain that I would have been forced out of my career of over 25 years." — Coastal Carolina University Professor Steven Earnest

Faculty Need Not Be Afraid to Speak

The Faculty Legal Defense Fund offers “first responder” assistance to protect the expressive and academic freedom rights of faculty at public colleges and universities.

Faculty Legal Defense Fund

Read Steven's Story

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Faculty Legal Defense Fund

Defending Your Rights

The Faculty Legal Defense Fund offers “first responder” assistance protecting the rights of faculty at public colleges and universities. FLDF pays the lawyer’s fees directly, with the goal of quickly and efficiently resolving disputes related to free expression and academic freedom in favor of the faculty member.

Faculty Defense FAQ

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Advocate for policies on campus promoting academic freedom and free expression

FIRE provides helpful resources for college faculty members seeking to reform policy on their campus.

View All FACULTY Resources

Ilya Shapiro
FIRE is now my favorite organization in America. Its advice and support in those critical first 24-72 hours of the cancellation campaign against me were crucial in the pushback that ultimately allowed me to survive and thrive.

Canceled for a Tweet

Faculty Rights

When Georgetown Law suspended faculty member Ilya Shapiro and launched an investigation into a controversial tweet, FIRE stepped in to defend his free speech and academic freedom rights. Georgetown finally reinstated him on after a 122-day investigation, determining that the law school couldn’t punish him for a tweet he posted before the start of his employment.

Read Ilya's Story

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FIRE Faculty Webinars

Videos

Learn more about the FIRE Faculty Network and hear from our staff of First Amendment experts by watching our faculty webinar series.

View All Webinars

Leverage FIRE resources and tools for your classroom

Communicating the principles and values of our fundamental rights is critical for the future of our country.

How Does Your School Compare?

Find out how well your school’s policies protect the free speech rights of students and faculty.

Find a School

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Defending Your Rights

FIRE defends the rights of students and faculty through several core services.

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