The Free Expression at UW–Madison module is one of four required programs for incoming freshmen and transfer students, detailing concepts such as civil discourse, academic freedom, offensive speech, and protest in the context of First Amendment rights as a campus community member. The modules below were produced by UW-Madison in partnership with and using content from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and New York University.
Video modules
Module 1 – Chancellor’s Introduction
UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin introduces a series of videos about freedom of expression on campus.
Module 2 – The First Amendment
This video covers the responsibility of public universities to uphold the First Amendment rights of all students, and how that responsibility intersects with life on campus.
Module 3 – Academic Freedom
Katherine Cramer, a professor in the political science department at UW-Madison, introduces the video on the topic of academic freedom. The video includes examples of ways to engage discourse in the classroom, as well as the reasons why academic freedom is essential to the educational experience.
Module 4 – Campus Speakers
Introduced by Anuj Desai, professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, this video is about invited speakers to campus and the university’s responsibility to provide an array of viewpoints and content. The video explains boundaries of protest against a speaker, as well as how to interact with dissenting viewpoint.
Module 5 – Talking Across Difference
Christy Clark-Pujara, professor and chair of the Department of African-American Studies at UW-Madison, introduces a video on talking across difference, and how to respectfully engage with people with points of view different than your own.
Module 6 – Offensive Speech, Activism, and Civil Disobedience
Dan Tokaji, dean of the University of Wisconsin Law School, introduces a video on the topic of offensive speech. UW-Madison, a public institution, is bound by the First Amendment to protect free expression on campus while at the same time committed to addressing hostile environments created by discrimination based on race, sex, national origin or disability.
Module 7 – Chancellor’s Conclusion
UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin wraps up the free expression course with closing thoughts the importance of engaging across difference.