Protecting the free student press
FIRE’s Student Press Freedom Initiative (SPFI) defends free press on campus by advocating for the rights of student journalists at colleges and universities across the country.
Table of Contents
Student Activist Toolkit
FIRE defends fundamental rights on America’s college and university campuses, including freedom of speech and expression, religious liberty, freedom of association, freedom of conscience, due process, and legal equality.
Make a Difference
The FIRE Student Network is a coalition of college students who recognize the importance of advancing civil liberties on their campuses.
Join the Student Network
Defend your rights on campus.
Building Campus Coalitions
Building coalitions is key to fostering change on campus. Take advantage of the insight in this guide to learn best practices for reaching out to, and working with, diverse groups.
Guide to Working with Student Government
For many college students, interacting with student government leaders can be intimidating, but it’s often where change starts on campus.
Campus Activism Toolkits
Amplify the Activists
Toolkit
The warning signs of restrictive speech codes can be difficult to spot — unless you know what you’re looking for.
Stamp Out Speech Codes
Toolkit
Educate your fellow students, faculty, and staff about policies on campus that restrict speech and take action to eliminate or amend them.
Commit to Expression
Toolkit
Get all of the information you need to get a free speech policy statement adopted at your school and see to it that free speech and robust debate are prioritized on your college campus.
Let Them Speak
Toolkit
Educate your campus community about the right to listen and the worrisome trend of disinviting campus speakers, and offer tactics for how students can respond to speech with which they disagree without resorting to censorship.
Speak Truth to Power
Toolkit
Learn how you can engage with your campus community this year to ensure that everyone on campus has the right to speak truth to power.
FIRE Activism Report
Are you promoting and protecting free speech on campus? FIRE wants to hear about it! Complete FIRE’s Activism Report to tell us about your efforts to make your campus more free speech-friendly.
How Does Your College Compare?
The largest report of its kind, FIRE's 2027 College Free Speech Rankings are based on the voices of 63,000 students at 261 colleges and universities, tracking their perceptions and experiences regarding free speech on campus — because a true university education requires freedom of expression.
VIDEO: Seven warning signs of student press censorship
Working with Administrators
Do you want to make waves on your campus? If so, you will likely need to develop a working relationship with your school’s administrators. Follow this guide to learn how best to navigate the process.
Campus Activism Tip Sheets
10 ways you can promote free speech on your campus
Toolkits
Adopting the Chicago Statement
Model Policies
Model Freedom of Expression Resolution Based on University of Chicago Statement
Model Policies
Know your school's speech code
Toolkits
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