Explore this catalog of resources created by Fellows of the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement for use by postsecondary and higher education practitioners.

The Center’s Fellows Program includes Fellows from a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds such as law, journalism, higher education, social science, technology and government. Fellows receive funding to conduct research that furthers the national conversation related to expression and democratic participation on college campuses including how to advance campus dialogue, safeguard academic freedom and further diversity and inclusion. These resources were compiled from their larger fellowship work. To view full projects please visit our fellowship page here.

High School Lesson Plans

• Should Free Speech be Absolute on College Campuses? A Lesson for High School Students by Robert Cohen
• Free Speech and the Inclusive Campus: A Lesson for High School Students by Robert Cohen

College Lesson Plans

• Curricular Assignments by Spoma Jovanovic
  • Ethics and Activism
  • News Talks
  • Voting, Elections, and Me
  • History Lessons: Social Movements 
  • Participating in Municipal Elections
  • What Free Speech Boundaries Do We Want?
• Confronting Injustice in Public Spaces by Spoma Jovanovic
  • Bailout Movement, Organizing, and Balancing Work 
  • Black Youth & Organizing 
  • Criminal Justice Reform 
  • Food Security
  • Homeless Rights
  • Housing Justice
  • Immigrant Rights
  • Local History Storytelling
  • Neighborhood Organizing
  • Police Accountability & Civil Rights
• Let Freedom (and Respect) Ring by Lara Schwartz and Andrea Brenner
  • Module 1: Re-imagining course engagement in person and online 
  • Module 2: Creating and maintaining inclusive classroom communities 
  • Module 3: Setting community standards for learning
  • Module 4: Assessments and assignments for collaboration and productive dialogue
• Sex.Talk.Toolkit by Shira Tarrant
• The Skokie Case by Ryan Coonerty
• The Humanities Classroom: A Guide to Free and Responsible Inquiry by Carlo DaVia
• Should Free Speech be Absolute on College Campuses in the 21st Century? A Lesson for College Students by Robert Cohen

Student Affairs Guides

• Let There Be Light: Freedom of Expression on Campus by Melissa J.Barthelemy, JD, MA
• Free Speech Guide for Student Affairs by Jonathan Friedman
• Transforming Moments of Conflict Through Embodied Leadership: A Guide for Student Affairs Professionals by Nikita Gupta, MPH, CHES, RYT
• Social Media: The Real Campus Speech Zone, A Learning Resource Informing Institutional Responses and Educational Efforts by Brandi Hephner LaBanc and Neal Hutchens

K-12 Fact Sheet

• Student Speech Rights in K-12 Public Schools by Elizabeth J. Meyer, Ph.D.

Higher Education Fact Sheet

• Free Speech and Academic Freedom in Higher Education by Elizabeth J. Meyer, Ph.D.
• Examining Civic Engagement and Campus Climate Among University of California Muslim Students by Saugher Nojan
• A Demographic Portrait of University of California Muslim Students by Saugher Nojan

Residential Life Guide

• Free Speech Guide for Residence Life by Jonathan Friedman

Diversity Office Guide

• Free Speech Guide for Diversity Offices by Jonathan Friedman

Administrator Guide

• Black Administrators and Black Student Activism: Social Media’s Impact on Navigating Relationships and Transforming Learning – A Planning Guide by Cerri A. Banks
• Tweets, Threats, and Censorship: Campus Resources to Support Faculty Through Incidents of Targeted Harassment by Nina M. Flores, PhD
• Speaking Truth to Power: The Free-Speech Rights of California University Employees by Frank LoMonte, J.D.