Rep. Greg Murphy Hosts Campus Free Speech Roundtable

On December 5, 2022, Congressman Greg Murphy (R-NC) hosted his second annual Campus Free Speech Roundtable in the Capitol.  Rep. Murphy had previously served on the Board of Davidson College and as President of its Alumni Association.

Also present were Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Congressman Clarence Burgess Owens (R-UT).

Among the invited witnesses were Cornell alumnus Raj  Kannappan ‘13, Vice President of Young America’s Foundation (YAF),  Karalee Geis, Capitol Hill Outreach Director, YAF, Greg Gonzalez, Legislative Fellow, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Ed Yingling, Alumni Free Speech Alliance, Princeton University, John Craig, Alumni Free Speech Alliance, Davidson College, Nick Cabrera, student, University of Virginia (class of 2023), and Kameron Spivey, student, Washington and Lee (class of 2024).

The panels discussed recent examples of campus policies that throttle free speech.  Although no examples from Cornell were presented, the prospect of Congressional pressure could potentially get all federally funded colleges, including Cornell, to reinforce free expression as an important element of campus life.  The roundtable considered possible legislation that would condition federal research grants and college accreditations upon the protection and promotion of free speech.