Rachel MorrisonIn support of Chapman’s abiding commitment to free speech, The Fletcher Jones Foundation has awarded the university a $1 million grant to create an endowed chair in free speech.
The grant will support a faculty chair whose teaching and research focus on free speech and furthering civil discourse. Additionally, the grant will support the chair in bringing speakers to campus, hosting scholarly conferences and creating additional programming that focuses on the importance of free speech on campus.
Professor of Communication Vikki Katz, Ph.D., has been named the inaugural chair. Her research focuses on the intersection of free speech, civil discourse and equitable access to civic engagement opportunities, addressing how the digital divide and technology engagement impact both young people’s and adults’ ability to fully participate in civic life. Her work has also contributed to formal changes in national policy, and she has collaborated with Sesame Workshop, PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to create evidence-based media content that engages underserved children and families in discussions about civil rights, free expression, and community participation.
“Free speech and academic freedom are hallmarks of Chapman University—ideals that we uphold and practice every day in our classrooms, in our halls and across our campuses,” said Chapman President Daniele C. Struppa, Ph.D. “This generous grant from The Fletcher Jones Foundation helps bolster higher education’s broader purpose to create and impart knowledge, facilitate the rich exchange of ideas and open our collective minds to new and differing perspectives.”
Named for Fletcher Jones, co-founder and visionary chairman and chief executive officer of Computer Sciences Corporation, The Fletcher Jones Foundation was created from Jones’s personal estate in 1969 when he was 39 years old. After Jones’s death in 1972, the Trustees of the Foundation decided, based on Jones’s interest in supporting higher education through philanthropic impact, that support of private colleges and universities in California should be the foundation’s primary charitable interest.
“The Fletcher Jones Foundation is pleased to support Chapman University in its enduring pursuit of free speech and academic freedom,” said Mary Spellman, executive director at The Fletcher Jones Foundation.
From its founding in 1861 through today, Chapman has remained resolute in its commitment to free speech.
This commitment was further strengthened in September 2015, when Chapman faculty governance, student governance, and Board of Trustees voted on and adopted a Statement on Free Speech that further articulates the commitment to free and open inquiry on the university’s campuses. Based on the widely adopted University of Chicago Principles of free expression, Chapman’s statement emphasizes the value of free and open debate and highlights the principle that debate may not be suppressed by the university even if the ideas put forth are not universally agreed upon.
The Fletcher Jones Foundation grant adds to the momentum of Inspire: The Campaign for Chapman University, which to date has raised $397 million of its $500 million goal.
“Free speech is integral to who we are at Chapman, and we have an important role to play in this regard. The grant by The Fletcher Jones Foundation extends and deepens Chapman’s commitment to creating an environment in which free speech is studied and practiced and diversity of thought is encouraged and celebrated,” said Matt Parlow, Chapman’s executive vice president, chief advancement officer and Parker S. Kennedy Chair in Law. “Chapman is grateful for the foundation’s generous and forward-thinking support.”
