FIRE Update: January 27, 2006

Table of Contents   January 27, 2006     1. Apply Now for FIRE Summer Internships! 2. FIRE President to Speak at University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire 3. Recent Media Coverage 4. Recent Posts to The Torch 5. Upcoming Events APPLY NOW FOR FIRE SUMMER INTERNSHIPS! We are now accepting applications from undergraduates and law students for FIRE’s Summer Internship Program. FIRE is looking for dynamic, energetic, responsible, and versatile individuals who possess a thorough understanding of FIRE’s mission and work. All FIRE interns work alongside FIRE’s staff in our Philadelphia office and complete substantive work on behalf of rights, liberty, and individual dignity. FIRE’s Summer Internship Program runs from mid-June to mid-August. In addition to daily research and other duties, the program features weekly seminars by experts on campus civil liberties, a mentoring relationship with FIRE staff members, social activities, and outings to attractions in historic Philadelphia. An intern from last summer offers this insight into the program: “Being an intern for FIRE was a great experience. I was able to learn the ins and outs of a nonprofit, explore the East Coast, and defend the Constitution. It’s hard to beat a summer like that.” If you are an undergraduate or law student, please visit FIRE’s internship page at thefire.org/internships for more details about the program, several testimonials from former interns, and application instructions. If you have friends or relatives who you think would be interested in the program, please encourage them to apply! FIRE PRESIDENT TO SPEAK AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–EAU CLAIRE FIRE Interim President Greg Lukianoff will speak at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UWEC) on Wednesday, February 1. Lukianoff’s speech, entitled “Liberty in Danger: The All-Too-Frequent Quashing of Student Rights at UWEC and Nationwide,” will take place at 8 p.m. in UWEC’s Schofield Auditorium. In the speech, Lukianoff will discuss UWEC’s nationally notorious RA “Bible study ban,” which FIRE originally brought to light late last year, as well as several other abuses at UWEC and on other campuses. FIRE’s public exposure of UWEC’s unconstitutional practice of banning resident assistants (RAs) from leading Bible studies in their dormitories has earned the university nationwide infamy. Prior to that, FIRE protested the UWEC Student Senate’s unconstitutional attempt to ban student-fee funding of “ideological, religious, or partisan” activities and to deny recognition to The Flip Side, a progressive student magazine, on the grounds that it was “biased.” FIRE also intervened when UWEC proposed to exclude religious activities from its “service learning” requirement. The Flip Side is sponsoring Lukianoff’s speech. Please contact Sara Adams (adamssa@uwec.edu), The Flip Side’s director of development, for tickets and registration. RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE The Spectator (UWEC), January 26, "Public opinion sought in development of RA policy," by Emily Hartwig FIRE refuses to support the working group's advice because it does not explicitly guarantee the right of RAs to hold Bible studies in their rooms. ·    ·    · The Badger-Herald (UW-Madison), January 25, "UW advances own political agenda," by Darryn Beckstrom Not surprisingly, Mr. Reilly has not decided when he will make a final decision on the RA Bible study ban. And don’t expect him to make a decision any time soon. If Mr. Reilly was genuinely interested in protecting the marketplace of ideas we have come to expect at an institution of UW’s caliber — regardless of the speech’s popularity — the unconstitutional ban would have already been lifted. ·    ·    · Student Press Law Center, January 25, "Florida university censors magazine for Jay Leno joke," by Ricky Ribeiro “We produced our second issue and we actually asked the school for approval before we distributed,” Ganz said. “And after FIRE’s second letter to the school, it was pretty quick that they actually approved our second issue.” ·    ·    · Ripon College Days (Wis.), January 25, "UWEC Bible study provokes controversy," by Sinead Devlin Interim Chancellor Vick[i] Lord Larson received a letter from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Oct. 17 which cited the school's actions as an unlawful infrigement of First Amendment rights.The organization requested that UWEC immediately end the ban on Bible studies. ·    ·    · Pennsylvania Independent, January 25, "Lighting the FIRE of Liberty in Philadelphia," by Chris Perez and Robert Shibley FIRE encourages all Penn students to take advantage of the tools we provide, to learn their rights, and to monitor and protect liberty on Penn’s campus. And if a situation does arise, remember: the resources of FIRE are there to protect you. ·    ·    · USA Today, January 24, "Students: Sexual harassment all too common on campus," by Mary Beth Marklein "There are aspects of harassment [policies] that nobody disagrees with," says Greg Lukianoff of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a Philadelphia-based non-profit. But "too many people think harassment is the same thing as being offended. Offending somebody is not a crime." ·    ·    · Townhall.com, January 24, "Republicans and Libertarians, unite!," by Mike Adams It is clearly unreasonable to request political organizations to admit members of opposing political parties. To require them to do so would sabotage the level of political discourse on campus. Therefore, these two groups have asked UNCG to change this policy. ·    ·    · The Daily News (Jacksonville, N.C.), January 24, "Are colleges trying to be too nice?," by Barry Smith The greater problem, however, isn't that the university could be setting itself up for a lawsuit. As Lukianoff points out, the real problem is the chilling effect that these policies have on free speech, freedom of expression and freedom of association. ·    ·    · Agape Press, January 23, "Univ. of Wisconsin Sidesteps System-Wide Policy on Bible Study Bans," by Jim Brown Having reviewed the report, FIRE says that the failure to recognize what it sees as a "glaring double standard" proves the school is "not serious about treating its students equally." ·    ·    · Cybercast News Service, January 23, "Judge Orders School to Reinstate Spanking Supporter," by Nathan Burchfiel Lukianoff said the college's president, Charles Beirne, "should be ashamed that his administration ignored its own rules, spent students' tuition money fighting litigation it invited, and cost one of its students a year of education simply because it did not like what he said in a theoretical paper." More media coverage at thefire.org » RECENT POSTS TO THE TORCH January 27, "Nine Days Left to Set UW Straight," Charles Mitchell January 26, "Silverglate Weighs In on Sexual Harassment Study," Charles Mitchell January 25, "Shocking Study Finds College Students Joke About Sex!," Samantha Harris January 24, "More on UWEC’s Double Standard," Charles Mitchell January 23, "New President Spells Hope for Cornell," Tara Sweeney Read The Torch at thefire.org » UPCOMING EVENTS February 1, 2006: Speech at the University of Wisconsin, Schofield Auditorium, Eau Claire, Wis., 8 p.m. (CT). Topic: “Liberty in Danger: The All-Too-Frequent Quashing of Student Rights at UWEC and Nationwide.” Sponsored by The Flip Side of UWEC (please contact Flip Side Director of Development Sara Adams for ticket information). (Lukianoff) February 11, 2006: Speech at the Foundation for Economic Education, 30 S. Broadway, Irvington-on-Hudson, N.Y., 7 p.m. (ET). Topic: “American Universities and the Betrayal of Liberty.” Open to the public (please contact FEE to register). (Kors) More upcoming events at thefire.org » About This Newsletter This newsletter may be redistributed in its entirety. If you would like to subscribe to receive future newsletters, please sign up here. Please direct any comments or questions concerning this newsletter to: subscriptions@thefire.org. Copyright © 2006, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education Donate Now · Privacy Policy

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