Princeton Free Speech News & Commentary

At Harvard Talk, Princeton President Says Colleges Should Set Clear Time, Manner, Place Rules for Protests

November 05, 2025 1 min read

Jason J. Cheng, Adrian U. Ramirez, and Alexandria Villasenor
Harvard Crimson 

Excerpt: Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber said at Harvard talk on Wednesday that universities should enforce clear time, place, and manner rules against student protesters — and refuse to negotiate with activists while they are violating university rules.

The Princeton president’s talk, which was moderated by Harvard College Dean David J. Deming drew dozens of students and faculty to Sanders Theatre. Deming spoke with Eisgruber about the themes of his recent book — Terms of Respect, which was published in September and focuses on free speech on college campuses — and Eisgruber’s own observations from his 12 years leading Princeton.

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How Princeton University Hijacked a Free-Speech Event

November 04, 2025 1 min read

Abgail Anthony
National Review

Excerpt: Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber recently published a book with an undeniably contrarian title, Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right. In his promotional media tour, he appeared on an NPR podcast hosted by Meghna Chakrabarti. During their discussion, Chakrabarti challenged Eisgruber by questioning whether universities have consistently promoted free expression.

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The Campus After Charlie Kirk

November 04, 2025 6 min read

By Tal Fortgang ‘17

The assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University was first and foremost a human tragedy. It was tragic for Kirk’s family, his friends, and his many fans and students. Kirk was a man, not a symbol or an idea, and every reflection on his murder must begin with reaffirming that. 

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Princeton president misunderstands FIRE data — and campus free speech

November 03, 2025 1 min read 3 Comments

Ryne Weiss
FIRE

Excerpt: The first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one. In his new book Terms of Respect: How Colleges Get Free Speech Right, Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber reports on FIRE’s data on free speech and First Amendment norms on campus while making no effort to understand it and misusing the data of others. In other words, he’s skipped that first step — and now Princeton is tumbling down the staircase. 

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Thai pro-democracy leaders headline U.S. premiere of “Breaking the Cycle” at Princeton

October 30, 2025 1 min read

Teresa Chen and Oliver Wu
Daily Princetonian

Excerpt: Thai pro-democracy figures Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut and Kunthida Rungruengkiat GS spoke on Wednesday at the U.S. premiere of “Breaking the Cycle,” a documentary on the rise and suppression of Thailand’s modern reform movement.

The event was hosted by Thaigers, the Thai Students’ Association on campus and sponsored by the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination. Directed by Aekaphong Saransate and Thankrit Duangmaneeporn, “Breaking the Cycle” traces the ascent of the pro-democracy Future Forward Party (FFP) and its founder Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit from the 2019 Thailand election through subsequent court-ordered dissolutions of both FFP and its successor, Move Forward.

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The Ideal of the University

October 29, 2025 2 min read

Annabel Green '26

Philosophy Professor Jennifer A. Frey of the University of Tulsa delivered a lecture on October 21, 2025 titled “What is a University and How Can We Recover It?” as part of the James Madison Program’s Stuart Lecture Series on Institutional Corruption in America. Professor Frey explored the historical vocation of the university and the crisis facing the contemporary academy.

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