Sof 2010 Docket I Approved
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FrancescoRastrelliSof 2010 Docket I Approved
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FrancescoRastrelliMEMORANDUM
TO: Aryeh Neier
FROM: Ann Beeson, Erlin Ibreck
DATE: April 26, 2010
RE: Strategic Opportunities Fund – May 3, 2010 Docket Recommendation
Attached is a recommendation to support the Free Expression Campus Coalition (FECC)
for your review and consideration. (FECC), launched with OSI support, defends free
expression on campus from ideological and political restrictions in order to ensure open
intellectual discussion in higher education. This grant stems from a prior U.S. Programs’
focus and interest in preserving academic freedom through the formation of a counter
weight to the ongoing assaults on free exchange on campuses that intensified in 2006 and
has continued in various forms and levels of intensity. Because of complications
stemming from the accounting practices of the grantee, discussed in the write-up, this
final grant is necessary to make good on the original grant commitment OSI made in
2007. We have consulted with legal counsel and grants management to ensure the grant
term is acceptable to OSI and they have indicated that the extenuating circumstances
detailed in the write-up justify this grant term.
We look forward to responding to any comments or feedback you may have.
Strategic Opportunities Fund Docket Meeting 5/3/10
Name of Organization: American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) public charity
Purpose of Grant: To support the Free Exchange on Campus Coalition.
FPOS Grant Description: To support the Free Exchange on Campus Coalition which
defends free expression on campus from ideological and
political restrictions in order to ensure open intellectual
discussion in higher education. This is a re-purposed grant
to support the cost associated with launching and sustaining
the Free Exchange on Campus Coalition by honoring a past
OSI commitment. The Free Exchange on Campus
Coalition was started three and a half years ago to counter
vigorous assaults on freedom of expression. While these
assaults have lessened the Coalition continues to maintain
an ability to respond to attacks on open intellectual
discussion in higher education as they arise.
Previous OSI Support: $150,000 approved in September 2009 (only $ $31,852.81
was paid)
Organization Budget: N/A
Project Budget: $173,000
Source of Support: American Federation of Teachers (in-kind)
Amount Requested: $110,551.20
Amount Recommended: $110,500 (one year)
Term: July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010
Description of Organization:
The American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation (AFTEF) is the 501c3 arm
of the American Federation of Teachers. The AFTEF is an independent trade union
representing over one million teachers – in both the K-12 and higher education sectors –
and other workers in education and other professions. The AFT Educational Foundation
was founded in 1978 to conduct and sponsor research on the field of education and to
educate the public on educational issues.
Description of Program for Which Funding Is Sought:
In the spring of 2006, OSI hosted an academic freedom meeting, following which leading
faculty, student and civil liberties organizations launched Free Exchange on Campus
Coalition (FECC) as a joint effort to counter conservative activists and their allies’
ideological assault on higher education. 1 Because FECC does not have its own 501c3
status, the coalition members decided to house the staff coordinator position at the
American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation.
At the time, assaults on free exchange on campuses took several forms: they included
public relations efforts to undermine popular support for the academy, on-campus student
campaigns, and efforts to pass state and federal legislation, based upon the David
Horowitz Freedom Center’s “Academic Bill of Rights” (ABOR) proposal, to place
restrictions on higher education. In response, Free Exchange began to organize students
and faculty in key states to roll out a public communications strategy. 2 Free Exchange on
Campus played a major role in organizing students and faculty to oppose proposals to
restrict the free exchange of ideas in Pennsylvania, Montana, Missouri, Virginia, Iowa,
Arizona, Georgia and Texas.
To date, no state has instituted lasting restrictions on academic freedom. In the few
instances where institutions felt they were forced to respond to critics with some action,
the measures that have been implemented have been so watered down that they have had
little impact on the intellectual life of those campuses. In instances where the Academic
Bill of Rights actually has been institutionalized, there have been subsequent moves to
rescind that decision, as the University of Colorado did in 2008 (after approving it in
response to legislative pressure in 2005) and the College of DuPage did mere weeks after
approving it in 2009. Additionally, in 2008, the issue of an alleged liberal bias in
universities began to fade from the public discourse to the point where it is now only
sporadically covered in the mainstream and trade presses.
In addition to the changes in public opinion, other events have eclipsed the “liberal bias”
issue when it comes to higher education. With the current economic downturn, policy
makers and the public are less inclined to worry about the latest iteration of the culture
1
Free Exchange was originally made up of the following organizations:
American Association of University Professors
American Civil Liberties Union
American Federation of Teachers
American Library Association / Association of College & Research Libraries
Campus Progress / Center for American Progress *
Center for Campus Free Speech
Free Press *
National Association of State PIRGs *
National Education Association / NEA Student Program
People for the American Way Foundation / Young People For *
Vox: Voices for Planned Parenthood
United States Student Association *
2
Although the Free Exchange initiative has both 501c3 and 501c4 components, Free Exchange’s proposal in 2007 and
now is limited to support for c3 work.
wars and are much more focused on such issues as college affordability and the role of
higher education in the economic recovery. However, the FECC feels it is important to
sustain the coalition and its communication arm to ensure that its base can be easily
mobilized if further threats to campus free expression arise. The Free Exchange on
Campus Coalition continues to scan the national field to identify states and institutions
where ABOR legislation and other attacks on academic freedom are likely. It also makes
available research publications such as one they produced giving background information
on the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, the organization started by Lynne
Cheney and currently led by Anne Neal that became very involved in pushing so-called
intellectual diversity measures. The report described the mission and organizational
composition of ACTA, analyzed the language of their intellectual diversity proposals,
and described the underlying motivation for proposing these measures.
Rationale for Recommendation:
Initial funding for the Free Exchange on Campus Coalition was made under the old SOF
structure when the preservation of academic freedom was prioritized as one strand of a
strategy to ensure the protection of key independent institutions. OSI approved a grant of
$150,000 to the American Federation of Teachers Educational Foundation to launch the
project. The grant period ran from 1/1/07 to 12/31/09 and was subsequently extended to
6/30/09 with only $31,852.81 paid out. Because the AFTE foundation oversees the
finances of the affiliated union its accounting system requires they operate on a
reimbursement system due to the multiple government grants that they manage. This
practice set up a complicated payout system for the OSI grant with the AFTEF asking for
payment once funds were expended. Hence the lengthy delay on fully paying out the
original grant. While this request for approval of a retroactive grant is unusual, we
recommend that OSI make good on our original intent. Without a doubt, the FECC
project has been critical to preserving the free exchange of ideas on campuses across the
country and continues to be an important resource to faculty and students. This proposed
grant is therefore intended to cover the costs incurred during the prior grant term as well
as after the grant term expired and to support the continuation of the FECC coordinator
position as FECC continues to exercise its watchdog role.