Campus Inclusion and Freedom of Expression: Managing Social Media

Recent events on college campuses—and throughout society generally—have frequently juxtaposed the values of diversity and inclusion against those of freedom of expression. The data show that college students believe in the First Amendment, but that many are willing to entertain restrictions on free speech and other rights when they perceive a conflict with other values and beliefs.

This divergence creates complex challenges for college and university leaders, many of whom want to encourage robust critical thinking and the free expression of ideas, but do not want to adversely affect the student experience or diminish the learning environment. This To the Point brief provides communications and legal counsel teams and others wrestling with these issues with observations and insights—informed by the First Amendment and case law—regarding social media’s implications for the tension between campus inclusion and freedom of expression.