Consultant, Campus Free Speech Guide

PEN America, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of literature and human rights, seeks an experienced writer to support an update to our Campus Free Speech Guide. We are looking for a writer who possesses a basic understanding of free speech issues on college campuses, ability to learn and reflect our philosophy, and who can collaborate effectively. The consultant will report to the program director, campus free speech.

Over a four-month period, we anticipate a workload of 20 hours per week to stay on schedule to finish the project by the end of March. The exact number of hours may vary as the project progresses and could take different shape depending on availability. The consultancy is anticipated to begin on December 1, 2024 and end by March 28, 2025.

Launched in 2019, PEN America’s Campus Free Speech Guide offers practical, principled advice on free speech and inclusion on U.S. college campuses and includes case studies alongside PEN America analysis and advice. The virtual Guide is used across the country by administrators, faculty, and students as a resource for issues such as: academic freedom, campus climate, discrimination & harassment, diversity & inclusion, hateful expression, invited speakers, and protests on campus.

The Guide offers practical, principled advice on free speech and inclusion on U.S. college campuses. It was developed based on extensive work by PEN America’s Campus Free Speech Project, which began in 2016 with the launch of our landmark report And Campus for All: Diversity, Inclusion, and Freedom of Speech at U.S. Universities. Since then, we have facilitated dialogues and held events on over a dozen campuses across the country, published commentary and engaged in advocacy on campus free speech issues, and published a second research report in 2019, Chasm in the Classroom: Campus Free Speech in a Divided America. In developing this Guide, we also consulted hundreds of university students, faculty, and administrators.

Since the Campus Guide was created, campuses have continued to face challenges related to the above topics. And in the past year, the reverberations of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has posed challenges to campuses, reflected in escalating protests, contentious online speech, and faculty firings, as well as Congressional hearings. The nuance, complexity and public scrutiny of these issues has driven some institutions to adopt “institutional neutrality” and alter their free expression policies. This project will involve updating the Campus Guide with this context in mind.

Responsibilities:

• Draft updated introductions on topics throughout the Guide as well as new sections for inclusion
• Analyze recent incidents and draft case studies with advice that reflect PEN America’s philosophy
• Maintain consistent contact with the program director / team members, and participate in weekly meetings to review progress
• Utilize Google Drive and Asana in an integrated manner with the team

Qualifications:

• Ability to synthesize information and write clearly
• Basic understanding of the free expression issues facing college campuses
• Willingness to work collaboratively through the editing process

The monthly consultancy fees range from $2,500 to $4,500 commensurate with experience and number of hours worked per month. Candidates whose expectations are outside this range are welcome to apply, as PEN America is open to considering talented individuals at varying stages of their careers.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a complete application (including a cover letter, resume, unedited writing sample, and hourly rate) via BambooHR. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

PEN America is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices, and in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

No phone calls or solicitations, please.

ABOUT PEN AMERICA:

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.