School Spotlight
Babson College
Speech Code Rating
- At present, FIRE does not maintain information on this school's policies.
Babson College: Adjunct Faculty Member Terminated Over Facebook Post About Iran
January 13, 2020
On January 7, 2020, following President Trump’s tweeted threat to bomb 52 Iranian cultural sites, Babson College professor Asheen Phansey posted privately on his personal Facebook page: “In retaliation, Ayatollah Khomeni should tweet a list of 52 sites of beloved American cultural heritage that he would bomb. Um… Mall of America? …Kardashian residence?” After the… Read more
Babson College: Students Charged With Harassment Over Pro-Trump Expression
December 19, 2016
Two Babson College students were charged with harassment and disorderly conduct after they drove around Wellesley College’s campus on the day following the 2016 election waving a “Trump” flag and shouting slogans associated with Donald Trump’s campaign.
Babson falsely claimed it was ‘cooperating’ with Massachusetts State Police over professor’s ‘threatening’ Facebook post
February 17, 2020
In January, Babson College terminated adjunct faculty member Asheen Phansey over a snarky Facebook post that criticized President Trump’s threat to bomb Iranian cultural sites and took a dig at American cultural institutions. After the remark was picked up by a local gossip blog, Babson soon found itself on the receiving end of tweets complaining… Read more
Fired faculty member speaks out as Babson College lands on FIRE’s 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech
January 29, 2020
As Babson College lands on FIRE’s list of the 10 worst colleges for free speech today, its former faculty member — summarily “investigated” and fired over a Facebook post criticizing President Trump’s Iran rhetoric — spoke on camera for the first time about the incident. Asheen Phansey, speaking with WGBH’s Jim Braude about how Babson… Read more
FIRE names America’s 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2020
January 29, 2020
These 10 colleges represent the worst campus censors over the last year Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute receives Lifetime Censorship Award PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29, 2020 — Who are the worst campus censors? The competition is stiff, but today the nonpartisan Foundation for Individual Rights in Education released its annual list of America’s 10 Worst Colleges for Free… Read more
10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2020
January 29, 2020
Since 2011, FIRE has named and shamed 65 individual colleges and universities as America’s worst for free speech. Some — we’re looking at you Harvard, DePaul, and Syracuse — are regulars and have appeared four or five times. Others have slunk away in embarrassment after being listed. But all have one thing in common: They… Read more
Babson College falsely claims faculty member fired over Iran Facebook post was not a faculty member
January 24, 2020
Yesterday, a number of civil liberties organizations, joined by a diverse range of artists and academics, called on Babson College to rescind its termination of Asheen Phansey, an adjunct faculty member fired over a Facebook post lampooning President Trump’s threat to bomb Iranian cultural sites. The American Association of University Professors also wrote separately to… Read more
Civil liberties advocates, celebrities sign letter defending professor fired by Babson College, whose claimed ‘cooperation’ with police is in doubt
January 23, 2020
Five civil liberties organizations — together with some 160 authors, artists, and academics — are coming to the defense of Asheen Phansey, the adjunct faculty member terminated by Babson College over a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post criticizing President Trump’s Iran rhetoric. The open letter, sent by anti-censorship group PEN America to Babson College yesterday, calls Phansey’s… Read more
So to Speak podcast, episode 102: Cultural sites, slurs, antisemitism, and Title IX
January 22, 2020
On today’s episode of So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, we are joined by FIRE’s Robert Shibley, Samantha Harris, and Will Creeley to discuss: the firing of a faculty member at Babson College for a satirical Facebook post; the punishment of two students at the University of Connecticut for the use of a racial… Read more
Babson College abandons freedom of expression, fires professor over Facebook post criticizing Trump threat to bomb Iran cultural sites
January 9, 2020
At Babson College, the climate of freedom of expression feels like 2003 all over again. Today, the college announced its completion of a “thorough investigation” — which started yesterday — into an adjunct professor’s Facebook post. As a result of its investigation, the college has terminated the professor. The professor’s post was a response to… Read more
Babson College Finds Students Not Responsible for Harassment in Post-Election Speech Case
December 19, 2016
Two Babson College students have been found not responsible for student conduct charges relating to their post-Election Day drive through the campus of Wellesley College, FIRE has confirmed. During that drive, Babson students Edward Tomasso and Parker Rand-Ricciardi displayed a “Trump 2016” flag and shouted pro-Trump slogans, choosing the campus of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary… Read more