Announcing MFSA’s $25,000 Matching Campaign!
We’re excited to announce that a generous individual donor has offered to match the next $25,000 in donations from MFSA supporters with an additional $25,000 gift! And, thanks to the enthusiastic support of our members and supporters, we’re already well on the way to reaching our goal. If you’re looking to double the impact of your charitable giving, your donation to MFSA will make an extra difference. Click the button below, or visit our donation page for more information!
MFSA Updates:
January 19, 2023: FIRE releases new report on “MIT’s Institutional Health”
January 13, 2023: Read MFSA’s letter to MIT President Sally Kornbluth
December 27, 2022: Press release: “MIT Faculty Vote to Accept New Free Expression Statement Supported by MIT Free Speech Alliance”
The MIT Free Speech Alliance (MFSA)
MIT, like many universities, has turned hostile to free speech, free expression, open scientific inquiry, and viewpoint diversity. In October 2021, MIT canceled the invitation of U. of Chicago geophysicist Dorian Abbot to talk about planetary atmospheres because he had argued that personal identity should not supersede merit. The barrage of negative press and public outrage resulting from MIT cancelling Dr. Abbot led MIT to hold two forums at which faculty chair Lily Tsai polled faculty attendees on two questions:
More than 50% responded "Yes" to "Do you feel on an everyday basis that your voice, or the voices of your colleagues are constrained at MIT?"
Approximately 80% responded "Yes" to "Are you worried given the current atmosphere in society that your voice or your colleagues' voices are increasingly in jeopardy?"
More details on the faculty free speech poll.
That a large majority of polled MIT faculty feels that their voices are constrained at MIT reveals a crisis demanding decisive action.
The MIT Free Speech Alliance (MFSA) was formed to call for such action, beginning by investigating the current climate on campus, and recommending how MIT can restore free speech, open scientific inquiry, and a tolerance for viewpoint diversity. We support MIT faculty, students, staff, and other members of the MIT community who are cancelled, attacked, or harassed for expressing their views. We are nonpartisan and will stand up for free speech and academic freedom for everyone. We explicitly support the “Chicago Principles,” the vision of free expression and academic freedom created at the University of Chicago and adopted in one form or another by over eighty universities.
Click to see a short brochure describing MFSA.
Please join the MIT Free Speech Alliance to add your voice to ours.