Our 2025 in Review
Thank you for a great year!
Happy New Year!
Before we go full steam ahead into 2026, we want to thank our subscribers and supporters by highlighting some of the real progress you helped make possible in 2025.
This past year, our impact was most visible in three key areas:
1.) At Furman
Our core mission is to make Furman a stronger place for free speech and open inquiry. In 2025, the university took several meaningful steps in the right direction.
At Homecoming, President Elizabeth Davis publicly acknowledged FFSA’s role, saying:
“Some of our alumni from the Furman Free Speech Alliance are here. They let me know when they think we’re limiting speech or exposure to ideas and perspectives, and they, along with other groups and individuals, are vocal advocates for free speech. I appreciate their doggedness.”
Earlier in the year, FFSA highlighted Furman’s failure to provide the Tocqueville Program with sufficient resources to promote open discourse and intellectual rigor.
This fall, the university posted a position for a tenure-track professor in classical liberal thought, who will also serve as Assistant Director of the Tocqueville Center.
Throughout the spring, we also pressed Furman to reconsider its discriminatory and speech-chilling hiring requirement that faculty applicants submit DEI statements.
In August, Furman revised its job postings to focus instead on teaching philosophy, research interests, and how a candidate’s teaching would “honor inquiry, promote diversity, and strive for equity.” Not perfect—but an improvement.
After FFSA criticized Furman’s disappointing initial response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a prominent advocate for free speech, the university subsequently flew the flag on the Mall at half-staff.
President Davis has also increasingly emphasized and promoted “On Discourse,” Furman’s primary free-speech initiative.
Following FFSA’s regular publication of campus updates, Furman launched the Dins Digest, a new alumni newsletter that has improved transparency about campus developments.
2.) In Partnership
We were also fortunate to collaborate with outstanding partner organizations this year.
The Alumni Free Speech Alliance (AFSA) consistently amplified our work across its national network.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has helped us assess Furman’s new policies and overall climate for free speech. Use the links below to read their analyses on:
Furman’s “Act of Intolerance” policy
Why Furman received an “F” in FIRE’s latest “College Free Speech” rankings
Furman’s “non-discrimination” policy
Our most-read post of the year featured an interview with the President of Heterodox Academy, John Tomasi.
3.) Within FFSA
Internally, FFSA experienced significant growth and momentum.
We evolved from a once-a-month newsletter into a dynamic publication producing new content nearly every week.
We were the first outlet to analyze and report extensively on Fitch’s decision to revise Furman’s credit outlook from stable to negative.
We worked directly with several parents of prospective Paladins to help them assess whether Furman would be a good fit for their students.
Our number of subscribers nearly doubled, and our readership increased even more.
We hosted a successful Homecoming tailgate, met many of you in person, and held our first annual Homecoming Luncheon in downtown Greenville with paid subscribers and special guests.
We are deeply grateful for your support and look forward to continuing this work in 2026. With your help, we’ll continue to press for a Furman that truly values free speech.
Go Dins!
— The Furman Free Speech Alliance