About Us

Protecting Free Speech at Dartmouth College

The Dartmouth Free Speech Alliance (DFSA) is a non-partisan group that seeks to encourage and support initiatives protecting Free Speech and increasing Viewpoint Diversity at Dartmouth College. The DFSA is the Dartmouth chapter of the Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA), an organization that now has chapters at 27 US colleges and universities. Learn more about our current programs and events here.

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Our Mission

The Dartmouth Free Speech Alliance (DFSA) will work to strengthen the culture of free speech, open inquiry, and viewpoint diversity at Dartmouth College. We believe that Dartmouth’s excellence depends on fostering an environment where diverse perspectives can be freely expressed and debated in a spirit of intellectual engagement and mutual respect.

Elements of Campus Involvement

➜ Policy: Advocating for institutional policies that protect and promote free expression, academic freedom, and viewpoint diversity.

➜ Culture: Encouraging a community where unorthodox perspectives, challenging ideas, and rigorous debate are embraced rather than feared.

➜ Viewpoint Diversity: Ensuring that all perspectives—across the ideological spectrum—are represented and engaged with in good faith.

Non-Partisan Goals

➜ Become a trusted source of information for alumni, students, faculty, and others who care about Dartmouth and want a clear-eyed understanding of the state of free speech at the College. We will provide objective reporting on developments and assessments of progress.

➜ Support speakers and events that enrich campus discourse, especially those that present unorthodox or challenging perspectives on important topics.

➜ Engage constructively with the Dartmouth administration and all members of the Dartmouth community who share a love for the College and a commitment to open inquiry. We believe in positive, solutions-oriented collaboration to rebuild a strong free speech culture.

➜ Develop clear recommendations and advocate for meaningful change that advance free speech and academic freedom at Dartmouth. We will provide guidance to alumni and other stakeholders who want to support this cause effectively.

➜ Operate with realism recognizing Dartmouth’s institutional context. Our goal is to hold the College to high standards while avoiding unproductive outrage or abstract idealism.

➜ Uphold and reinforce Dartmouth’s mission and core values, including:

➜ Academic Excellence: Encouraging independence of thought within a culture of collaboration.

➜ Diversity: Understanding that a range of perspectives enhances the quality of a Dartmouth education.

➜ Open Debate: Supporting vigorous and respectful discourse as essential to the pursuit of truth.

We invite all members of the Dartmouth community—regardless of their individual views on specific issues—to join us in strengthening the foundation of free expression and intellectual inquiry that has long been essential to Dartmouth’s mission.