Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/07/2026
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Freedom Forum Conference Center, Carroll Hall 305
This event is organized by students at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
On April 1, 2026, The Daily Tar Heel, an editorially and financially independent student newspaper, published satirical articles on immigration, Israel-Palestine, DEI and other current events. That same week, the student-run show Hill After Hours faced criticism over a satirical sketch about on-campus housing that some viewed as racially insensitive.
UNC administrators publicly condemned the content and indicated that Student Affairs would meet with DTH leadership and investigate the Hill After Hours sketch. Free speech advocates, including the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), warned that the university’s response could infringe on First Amendment protections and chill student speech. UNC later revised its statement, retracting language that could suggest students or student groups had engaged in unlawful or punishable conduct.
Using these incidents as case studies, this panel will examine how universities should respond to controversial student expression, when administrative criticism may cross into government pressure and how university actions can shape campus speech culture.
Panel Participants:
Dr. Meredith Clark is an associate professor of race and political communication at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
Professor Amanda Martin is a clinical professor of law and supervising attorney of the First Amendment Clinic at Duke University School of Law.
Will Lingo is the executive director of The Daily Tar Heel, UNC-Chapel Hill’s student-run newspaper.
Moderator: Anna Gage – Class of 2028
It is part of UNC’s First Amendment Day and is free and open to the public. Students can earn Campus Life Experience (CLE) credit.
Tagged: 1ad2026
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