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Yesterday, I wrote that Adam would be at the University of Wisconsin - Stout this week. He spoke twice on campus yesterday, first addressing the campus community at a public lecture and then leading a discussion with students from a General Ethics class. His campus visit was by Pamela Powers of the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wisc.), which previously covered the Firefly poster controversy at on campus last fall. Powers writes:

FIRE vice president of programs Adam Kissel said it was rare that UW-Stout officials would invite him to campus after such an incident. ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵAPP¹ÙÍø has defended faculty and student free speech rights for the past dozen years. 

"I feel like you are going in the right direction and turning this negative into a positive," Kissel said of UW-Stout administration. 

The school's administration also seems to recognize that an open discussion about the situation and how to move forward is a positive sign. Powers quotes UW-Stout spokesman Doug Mell: 

"We brought him to campus today," Mell said of Kissel. "This is a group that made our life difficult for weeks, and we brought them to campus. The proof's in the pudding."

Although the pudding is not quite fully cooked (UW-Stout still has several red light speech codes to resolve), Adam's visit does mark a step forward for free expression on campus. Thanks again to the Center for Applied Ethics for organizing Adam's visit, and here's hoping for continued progress in Menomonie! As always, ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵAPP¹ÙÍø stands ready to help.