Vanderbilt University: Administration Investigates Students for Social Media Likes, Jokes, and Profanity

After complaints alleged students Paulo Nicoli and Benjamin Paolucci had engaged in “offensive” speech, Vanderbilt’s Equal Opportunity and Access Office notified the two in October 2025 that it was investigating them for discriminatory conduct. Nicoli’s suitemates filed the complaint after he requested dispute resolution assistance from the housing office regarding damage to his property. They alleged various “offensive” comments, ranging from social media “likes” of edgy jokes, juvenile insults, and profanity, to remarks expressing political and policy views — all of which Nicoli and Paolucci deny. On March 3, 2026, FIRE wrote Vanderbilt, urging it to drop the investigation because the allegations, even if true, solely concerned speech protected by Vanderbilt’s free expression policies.