On Feb. 8, UC’s National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement announced its inaugural class of 10 fellows, charged with helping educational institutions and communities better understand, guarantee and facilitate free speech.

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.

“The first class of fellows exemplifies our goal of bringing together the country’s great minds to study the complicated issues of free speech, activism and civic engagement,” said UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman, co-chair of the center’s advisory board, whose role has been expanded to include administrative oversight of the center. “They are a diverse group of experts representing multiple perspectives. We’re proud to welcome them to the center and to support their work.”

The selection of fellows is a critical step in the development of the center, which was launched by President Napolitano last October. She appointed Gillman, a leading constitutional scholar, and Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, as co-chairs of an advisory board of elected officials, journalists, academics and corporate leaders.

Read full article, which includes the list of fellows.

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