National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement

I am pleased to announce that the UC’s National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement has selected its inaugural class of fellows. The center, established by President Janet Napolitano in October 2017 and housed at the UC’s Washington, D.C., office, brings together people of different backgrounds, experiences and views to apply the best legal, social science, journalistic and other research, along with real-world experience, to inform free speech and civic engagement policies on our campuses, in our state legislatures and in our nation’s capital.

The fellows, who include scholars, students and analysts from across the country, will spend a year researching timely, vital First Amendment issues. Their work will include developing tools, analyzing data and presenting lessons from history to be highlighted at a national conference later this year. Each will reside for a week at one of the 10 UC campuses to engage with students, faculty, administrators and community members. You can learn more about the fellows and their research interests here.

In recognition of UCI’s prominence as a locus of free speech research and activity, President Napolitano has asked me to assume administrative oversight of the center. I am honored by her confidence and, with the counsel and assistance of advisory board co-chair Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, look forward to helping the center fulfill its mission.

Fiat Lux,

Chancellor Howard Gillman