The CHAE Speaker Series presents "The First Amendment and Public Universities: Understanding the Law, Policy, and Higher Education"
The Spring 2017 Speaker Series, presented by CHAE, features key topics and issues of importance in the higher education landscape.
Featured Speaker
Michael A. Lawrence, Professor of Law & Foster Swift Professor of Constitutional Law, MSU College of Law
Thursday, October 5, 2017
2:30pm -3:30pm
252 Erickson Hall
The First Amendment has a long and important history within U.S. public universities. Protecting five basic freedoms including freedom of speech, it ties directly to issues of academic freedom in higher education. As such, and in light of recent controversies, it is essential for faculty, staff, and students to understand this important constitutional provision and its connection to policy and practice on college campuses. In this session, Professor Lawrence will discuss the First Amendment as it relates to public universities, highlighting individual rights, permissible limits, and the unique aspects of the academy that make this protection so essential to our everyday operation.
About Michael Lawrence
Michael A. Lawrence is Professor of Law and Foster Swift Professor of Constitutional Law at Michigan State University College of Law, where he teaches courses on Constitutional Law and International Law. He frequently lectures and teaches courses on these and other topics in various countries around the world. He served as Associate Dean for Graduate and International Programs from 2009-2013, and he was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from 2001-2003. In 2005, he was a Fulbright Scholar in Beijing, China.
Professor Lawrence's research interests are in the field of constitutional law and racial justice. His scholarly articles and OpEds have appeared in numerous law reviews and major newspapers, and he has participated in high-profile amicus curiae briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and other federal courts. His book, Radicals in Their Own Time: Four Hundred Years of Struggle for Liberty and Equal Justice in America, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2011; and his book, Model Problems and Outstanding Answers: Constitutional Law (with Kevin Saunders), was published by Oxford University Press in 2013.
Professor Lawrence was chair of the elected MSU College of Law Faculty Advisory Council (FAC) from 2007-08 and 2016-17; and he has chaired and participated on numerous other law school committees. He was 2004-05 Chair of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Post-Graduate Legal Education, and 2006-07 Chair of the AALS Section on Pre-Legal Education.
Professor Lawrence holds a B.S. degree from Indiana University, an M.B.S. from the University of Colorado, and M.S. and J.D. degrees from the University of Wisconsin, where he graduated with honors and served as Editor-in-Chief of the Wisconsin Law Review. Prior to joining the MSU College of Law faculty in 1994, he practiced at the Washington, D.C. office of Baker & McKenzie.
