Students For Liberty

Students For Liberty
Founder(s) Alexander McCobin, Sloane Frost, Richard Tracy, Sam Eckman, and Pin-Quan Ng
Type Student organization
Founded July 24, 2008[1][2]
Key people Executive Director Alexander McCobin, Vice President Clark Ruper[3]
Area served Worldwide
Focus Civil society, civic engagement and social entrepreneurship
Method Education and leadership programs
Website studentsforliberty.org

Students For Liberty (SFL) seeks to support student groups that hold a wide-range of philosophical beliefs that all share an underlying dedication to liberty with resources like leadership training, literature, grants, and speakers.[1] Forming after a meeting where students exchanged ideas from their own experiences with liberty advocating student groups, SFL quickly expanded with new programs and an exponentially growing network of affiliated student groups.[4][5][6][3][7] Gene Healy with the Cato Institute includes the organization in the limited-government movement.[8]

Organized after the success of a conference, the largest program of the organization is conferences in the form of an annual international conference as well as various regional conferences. [4][5][6][9] The organization experienced rapid growth since its inception in 2008.[6][7] The network now includes 699 student organizations around the world.[6][10] The network currently includes groups located in 41 countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Venezuela, and Vietnam.[11][12] The rapid expansion is encouraged and supported by current students involved in the Campus Coordinators Program.[13]

SFL seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of liberty and civil society with several evolving programs that focus on student rights events, lectures, literature, an academic journal for student work, and an Alumni network.[14][15][16][17][18][19][7]

Contents

History

Origin

Students participating in an Institute for Humane Studies Koch Summer Fellowship got together on July 24, 2007 to discuss successes and challenges faced by liberty advocating student organizations. After the discussion, Alexander McCobin and Sloane Frost decided to organize a conference for 40 students participating in liberty advocating organizations in 2008.[4] As many more students contacted the planners to participate, more students joined the planning. The first Students for Liberty Conference was held at Columbia University, despite a snow storm, from February 22 to 24, 2008 with 100 students participating. The success of the conference and the enthusiasm of the participants encouraged the planners to form Students For Liberty to provide continuing support.[20][4][21]

Conservative Political Action Conference Controversy

SFL co-founder and executive director, Alexander McCobin, opened his remarks on the February 19, 2010 panel “2 Minute Activist: Saving Freedom Across America” at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) by thanking the American Conservative Union for welcoming GOProud as a co-sponsor of the event. California Young Americans for Freedom's chairman (and author of The "Born Gay" Hoax) Ryan Sorba followed with less than kind words for McCobin, SFL, Young Americans for Liberty’s Jeff Frazee, and the American Conservative Union with a rant about human nature.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][8]

Security Theater Controversy

Concerned with the growing propensity of the US population to view Transportation Security Administration scanners linked to cancer concerns, scanners involved in leaked revealing images, and rights violating enhanced pat down searches as security theater, Mark Ames and Yasha Levine wrote an article accusing Koch funded charities, including SFL, of inventing the public outcry.[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]

Programs

Conferences

SFL holds many conferences during the school year to allow students to meet other students dedicated to liberty, hear from speakers leading the movement for liberty, and discuss how to best promote liberty on campus. In July 2009 SFL launched a new website just for its conferences at www.PoliticalConferences.org.[9] SFL hosts two types of conferences: an annual international conference and regional conferences.

Annual International Conference

Continuing the tradition of the inaugural SFL Conference at Columbia University in February, 2008, SFL hosts an annual International Conference that serves as its premiere event each year. The inaugural conference brought 100 students from 42 schools in three countries to New York City. The second annual International Conference brought 153 students from 13 countries to George Washington University.[39] The third annual International Conference took place February 13 and 14 at American University in Washington, DC and had more than 300 students in attendance.[40] The fourth annual International Conference, covered by ReasonTV, returned to George Washington University on Friday, February 18 and continued until Sunday, February 20, 2011, this time with 500 students participating.[41][42][43][44] This International Conference included a taping of Stossel, which aired March 31, where John Stossel and Cato Institute Vice President David Boaz spoke to students about the ideas of liberty.[45]

Regional Conferences

During the fall semester, SFL hosts Regional Conferences to offer a comparable experience to its International Conference, but closer to students' homes. In 2008, SFL ran three Regional Conferences at the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and the University of Michigan. In 2009, SFL held seven regional conferences. They were hosted by pro-liberty student groups at Drexel University, Harvard University, Arizona State University, University of Texas at Austin, Wake Forest University, University of Chicago, and Columbia University.[1] In 2010, SFL held nine regional conferences at the same schools (except Wake Forest) as the 2009 conferences (listed above), while adding three new schools: Pepperdine University, Kennesaw State University and University of California at Berkeley.[6][3] On November 18-20, 2011 SFL hosted the first European conference at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Leuven, Belgium with over 200 students from 25 different countries attending.[1][10]

Campus Coordinator Program

Campus Coordinators work with campus group leaders within a designated regional area to ensure delivery of support and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of programs offered as well as finding and assist with the formation of new campus groups.[13][46][47] The 2010-2011 school year saw the inaugural class of coordinators accepted into the program.[13] Training was provided by the full time staff as well as executive board members.[2] The 2011-2012 class of coordinators includes 60 students from the United States, Canada and Venezuela.[48][49]

Student Rights Week

To assist student groups in advocating for civil liberties SFL offers pocket Constitutions from Cato, copies of Guide to Free Speech on Campus from FIRE, and the movies 10 Rules for Dealing with Police, Busted: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters, and Indoctrinate U as well as marketing support.[14][50][51][15] A popular project is the establishment of temporary “free speech walls” usually made of paper where community members are encouraged to express their opinions by writing comments that will be left in public for several days.[52][53][54][55][56][57][58]

E-Leadership Series

To overcome vast geographic separation of students SFL launched the E-Leadership Series of seminars that utilize video conferencing to bring everyone together.[16] Seminars offered include:

Free Books Project

The project provides liberty advocating student groups with books for discussion. Books available have included:

Journal of Liberty and Society

To encourage undergraduate academic work surrounding the topic of liberty and its role in society for students everywhere SFL publishes an annual academic peer-reviewed journal.[18] The Prometheus Institute sponsors awards for the top paper and two honorable mentions based on clarity of thought, originality, intellectual skill, and connection of liberty to important social or theoretical issues as well as offers to all award recipients to join the Prometheus Institute staff for a semester.[18]

Alumni For Liberty

The Alumni For Liberty initiative is a resource and network for working professionals interested in supporting students and student organizations dedicated to liberty.[86][6][87] The program is open to all adults interested in supporting the student movement, whether or not they were a member of a liberty oriented student group.[19][6] The project provides ways to remain involved in supporting the student movement for liberty with monthly updates describing opportunities such as networking events, job openings, training sessions, leadership dinners with movement celebrities, options for financial support of alma mater student groups, speaking to student groups, and mentoring of students interested in related careers.[88][67][89][90][91][92][93][94][87]

Organizational structure

SFL is a 501(c)(3) organization that supports student groups advocacy liberty. SFL is run by five full time professionals at the headquarters in Washington, DC.[95][96] Direction of the organization comes from the executive director, as well as other directors, the executive board (entirely composed of current students), and the board of directors.[97][98]

Europe

In 2011, SFL established a board to expand their programs into Europe.[99] On November 18-20, 2011 SFL hosted the first European conference at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Leuven, Belgium.[1]

Finance

Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization completely funded from private donations from individuals, foundations, and participation fees, SFL does not solicit or accept any government contributions.[5][100]

Fiscal Year Type Item Amount
2009-2010 Income Individuals $57,509.22
2009-2010 Income Foundations $119,600.00
2009-2010 Income Conferences & Other Income $29,434.41
2009-2010 Income Total Income $206,543.63
2009-2010 Expense Conferences & Programs $72,416.60
2009-2010 Expense Student Leadership $21,108.95
2009-2010 Expense Outreach $11,185.01
2009-2010 Expense Development $8,051.33
2009-2010 Expense Operational Expenses $42,218.24
2009-2010 Expense Total Expenses $154,980.13
2008-2009 Income Individuals $22,517.59
2008-2009 Income Foundations $10,000.00
2008-2009 Income Conferences & Other Income $17,700.00
2008-2009 Income Total Income $50,217.59
2008-2009 Expense Conferences $19,487.28
2008-2009 Expense Leadership $4,545.97
2008-2009 Expense Outreach $4,014.74
2008-2009 Expense Development $2,421.02
2008-2009 Expense Operational Expenses $1,967.91
2008-2009 Expense Total Expenses $32,436.92

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Students For Liberty, "2009-2010 Annual Report", [1], Washington, DC, July 20, 2010
  2. ^ a b Blayne Bennett "2010 SFL Campus Coordinator Retreat", [2], July 27, 2010
  3. ^ a b c Herald Staff (November 6, 2011). "Libertarians promote justice for all". Boston Herald. http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2011_1106libertarians_promote_justice_for_all. Retrieved 8 November 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c d Daniel Shiner "Liberty Minded Student Profile: Alexander McCobin", [3], Mason Liberty, August 31, 2010
  5. ^ a b c d e f Students For Liberty "2008-2009 Annual Report", [4], July 21, 2009
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Students For Liberty, "2010-2011 SFL Midyear Report", [5], Washington, DC, December 8, 2010
  7. ^ a b c Kennerly, Britt (Dec 4, 2011). "Baby boomer activists pass the protest torch to a new generation". Florida Today (Melbourne, FL). http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111204/NEWS01/312040036/Baby-boomer-activists-pass-protest-torch-new-generation. Retrieved December 28, 2011. 
  8. ^ a b Gene Healy, "Don't trust anyone under 30?", [6], Washington Examiner, Washington, DC, March 2, 2010
  9. ^ a b Clark Ruper, "SFL Regional Conferences Site Launched", [7], Washington, DC, July 9, 2009
  10. ^ a b Students For Liberty, "2011-2012 SFL Midyear Report", [8], Washington, DC, December 14, 2011
  11. ^ McCobin, Alexander. "List of Student Groups". List of Student Groups. http://studentsforliberty.org/college/groups/. 
  12. ^ Roeder, Frederik. "Poland". http://studentsforliberty.org/network/poland/. Retrieved 28 November 2011. 
  13. ^ a b c Students For Liberty, "Campus Coordinator Program", [9], Washington, DC, July 20, 2010
  14. ^ a b David French, Greg Lukianoff and Harvey Silverglate "FIRE's 'Guide to Free Speech on Campus'", [10], Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, January 4, 2005
  15. ^ a b Students For Liberty "Student Rights Week", [11], July 20, 2010
  16. ^ a b Students For Liberty "E-Leadership Series", [12], July 21, 2010
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Blayne Bennett "Free Books Project", [13], July 21, 2010
  18. ^ a b c Alexander McCobin "Journal of Liberty and Society", [14], April 9, 2008
  19. ^ a b Alexander McCobin "For Alumni", [15], October 25, 2009
  20. ^ John Stossel "(I Didn't Know) I'm a Libertarian", [16], Stossel, March 31, 2011
  21. ^ Jonathan Perri "Interview: Alexander McCobin of Students for Liberty", [17], HeadCount, January 14, 2011
  22. ^ Andrew Sullivan "The Weekend Wrap", [18], The Atlantic, February 22, 2010
  23. ^ Michael C. Moynihan, "You Know the Lowlights. Here Are a Few Highlights from CPAC…Seriously", [19], Reason, February 21, 2010
  24. ^ Mike Madden, "CPAC crowd boos homophobe off stage", [20], Salon.com, February 19, 2010
  25. ^ Vita Brevis, "CPAC Civil War", [21], Daily Kos, February 19, 2010
  26. ^ Gregg Re, "CPAC speaker booed for APPLAUDING gay group invite", [22], The Daily Caller, February 19, 2010
  27. ^ William Upton, "Fear and Loathing at CPAC", [23], The American Conservative, February 22, 2010
  28. ^ Ed Morrissey, "CPAC 2010: Final thoughts", [24], Hot Air, February 21, 2010
  29. ^ Transportation Security Administration "TSA Unveils Enhanced Security Screening Procedures and Changes to the Prohibited Items List", [25], United States Department of Homeland Security, December 2, 2005
  30. ^ Howard Rich "'Homeland' Radiation Threatens More Than Just Our Health", [26], The Epoch Times, April 10, 2011
  31. ^ David Kravets "TSA Admits Bungling of Airport Body-Scanner Radiation Tests", [27], Wired, March 15, 2011
  32. ^ Declan McCullagh "Feds admit storing checkpoint body scan images", [28], CNET, August 4, 2010
  33. ^ Wilson Rothman "Leaked U.S. Marshal body scan images revealed", [29], msnbc.com, November 16,2010
  34. ^ Peter Daut "Lawmakers Take On Airport Pat-Downs", [30], FOX 4 News, March 22, 2011
  35. ^ Mark Ames and Yasha Levine "TSAstroturf: The Washington Lobbyists and Koch-Funded Libertarians Behind the TSA Scandal", [31], The Nation, November 23, 2010
  36. ^ Jennifer Abel, "The TSA and the six-year-old terror suspect", [32], The Guardian, April 21, 2011
  37. ^ David Weigel "Koch Rules Everything Around Me", [33], Slate, November 24, 2010
  38. ^ Alexander Falkenstein "The Nation Gives SFL a Shout Out", [34], November 24, 2010
  39. ^ Damon W. Root, "Students for Liberty", [35], February 13, 2009.
  40. ^ Lee Doren, "International Students For Liberty Conference", [36], February 13, 2009.
  41. ^ Josh Swain "What We Saw at the Students For Liberty Conference 2011", [37], ReasonTV, February 28, 2011
  42. ^ John Stossel "Students Who Get It!", [38], Townhall.com, March 30, 2011
  43. ^ Blayne Bennett, "2011 International Conference", [39], Washington, DC, February 22, 2011
  44. ^ Gene Healy "Young Libertarian Activists Point Way to Freedom's Future", [40], The Washington Examiner, February 22, 2011
  45. ^ John Stossel "This Week's Show: Students Who Get It!", [41], Fox Business, March 30, 2011
  46. ^ Clark Ruper "A Call for Community Organizers for Liberty", [42], April 12, 2011
  47. ^ Peter Neiger, "More Leaders Join the Campus Coordinator Program", [43], April 25, 2011
  48. ^ Peter Neiger "Campus Coordinator Program Continues to Grow!", [44], March 28, 2011
  49. ^ Neiger, Peter. "2011-2012 Campus Coordinator Program Finalized!". 2011-2012 Campus Coordinator Program Finalized!. http://studentsforliberty.org/news/2011-2012-campus-coordinator-program-finalized/. Retrieved May 17, 2011. 
  50. ^ Rubin Whitmore II (Director), Steven Silverman (Writer), Scott Morgan (Writer), Philippe Prosper (Star), Mario Garcia (Star), Nancy Barrick (Star), and William "Billy" Murphy, Jr. (Star) (2010). 10 Rules for Dealing with Police (DVD). Nile Entertainment, Sorkin Productions. http://www.youtube.com/user/FlexYourRights#p/c/1B0B357282389571/0/gmrbNLt7Om8. 
  51. ^ Rubin Whitmore II (Director), Steven Silverman (Writer), John Driscoll (Star), Ricardo Kingsbury (Star),Frank Lama (Star), and Ira Glasser (Star) (2004). Busted: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters (DVD). Sorkin Productions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA. 
  52. ^ Raymundo, Shawn (November 22, 2011). "Students express themselves, without pulling punches". statepress. http://www.statepress.com/2011/11/22/students-express-themselves-without-pulling-punches/. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  53. ^ Staff (17 SEPTEMBER 2010). "Free Speech Week". Pepperdine Graphic. http://www.pepperdine-graphic.com/news/free-speech-week/. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  54. ^ Shibley, Robert (2011-09-23). "Insult Obama? Not on this campus!". The Daily Caller. http://dailycaller.com/2011/09/23/insult-obama-not-on-this-campus/. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  55. ^ Green, Stephen (September 22, 2011). "Policy protesters take down sign after use of profanity, damages". The Houstonian. http://www.houstonianonline.com/news/policy-protesters-take-down-sign-after-use-of-profanity-damages-1.2635480#.ToyQz_7NlO4. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  56. ^ Hall, Jaclyn (May 12, 2011). "Students 'Draw' Attention to Free Speech Rights on Campus". The Torch. http://thefire.org/article/13178.html. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  57. ^ McNiel, Jacob (September 20, 2011). "Young Americans for Liberty works for free speech". Daily Kansan. http://www.kansan.com/news/2011/sep/20/young-americans-liberty/?news. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  58. ^ Opsah, Kevin (April 10, 2011). "Activism on campus: Recent protests, pending policy review bring USU issues to fore". The Herald Journal. http://news.hjnews.com/news/article_a9d72fee-6320-11e0-903f-001cc4c002e0.html. Retrieved 25 November 2011. 
  59. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Alexander McCobin "List of Past Webinars", [45], March 25, 2009
  60. ^ Alexander McCobin " Larry Reed Webinar TONIGHT", [46], September 8, 2009
  61. ^ Alexander McCobin "E-Leadership Presents Larry Reed", [47], August 18, 2009
  62. ^ Clark Ruper "An Economic History of the Prison", [48], September 29, 2009
  63. ^ Alexander McCobin "An Economic Analysis of Drug Legalization", [49], November 18, 2009
  64. ^ Alexander McCobin "How to Get an Internship for Liberty", [50], December 22, 2009
  65. ^ Clark Ruper "The Koch Associate Program", [51], January 11, 2010
  66. ^ Clark Ruper "SFL Webinar Tonight", [52], March 22, 2010
  67. ^ a b Clark Ruper "Job Hunting for Liberty", [53], April 13, 2010
  68. ^ Clark Ruper "How to Nail the Job Interview", [54], May 12, 2010
  69. ^ Clark Ruper "Making the Most of your Summer", [55], June 9, 2010
  70. ^ Blayne Bennett "Where Would We Be Without Economic Freedom?", [56], August 24, 2010
  71. ^ Irena Schneider "October Webinar Season is Here!", [57], September 21, 2010
  72. ^ Irena Schneider "The Pessimistic Bias: Developing Historical Perspectives on Human Progress", [58], September 29, 2010
  73. ^ Irena Schneider "True Egoism: What It Is and Why It’s Necessary for Freedom", [59], October 7, 2010
  74. ^ Irena Schneider "Substantive Criticisms of the Libertarian Perspective", [60], October 12, 2010
  75. ^ Irena Schneider "Hello, November! Hello, Fresh Webinar Season!", [61], October 26, 2010
  76. ^ Irena Schneider "John Hasnas In Your Living Room: Throwing Market Failure Out the Window", [62], November 3, 2010
  77. ^ Irena Schneider "Figures Don’t Lie, But Liars Can Figure: Important Issues in Interpreting Public Policy Data", [63], November 10, 2010
  78. ^ Irena Schneider "How to Win Friends and Influence People When Talking Policy", [64], November 17, 2010
  79. ^ Irena Schneider "All You Need To Know About Transitioning Leadership", [65], November 24, 2010
  80. ^ Irena Schneider "A Life Lesson for Liberty: How to Win the Court of Public Opinion", [66], March 18, 2011
  81. ^ Irena Schneider "Austrian Business Cycle Theory & The Great Recession", [67], March 11, 2011
  82. ^ Irena Schneider "Lawrence Reed on Great Myths of the Great Depression", [68], January 19, 2011
  83. ^ Irena Schneider "Proving Libertarian Morality", [69], January 12, 2011
  84. ^ Bastiat, Frédéric (2010). The Economics of Freedom. Ottawa, Illinois: Jameson Books. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-89803-169-0. http://studentsforliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/The-Economics-of-Freedom-PDF.pdf. 
  85. ^ Ruper, Clark. "The SFL Bastiat Project". The SFL Bastiat Project. http://studentsforliberty.org/news/the-sfl-bastiat-project/. Retrieved 29 May 2011. 
  86. ^ Blayne Bennett, "Alumni For Liberty Board", [70], Washington, DC, December 22, 2010
  87. ^ a b "Northwood's Deming named to Alumni for Liberty". Midland Daily News. December 3, 2011. http://www.ourmidland.com/business/article_33f2370c-b93f-5aa2-b54e-454f6aa4f730.html. Retrieved 28 December 2011. 
  88. ^ Clark Ruper "Cato Intern Reunion", [71], May 24, 2010
  89. ^ Clark Ruper "E-Leadership Webinar: How to Nail the Job Interview", [72], May 12, 2010
  90. ^ Blayne Bennett "Alumni Spotlight", [73], July 12, 2010
  91. ^ Clark Ruper "Past AFL Events", [74], August 24, 2010
  92. ^ Blayne Bennett "AFL Leadership Dinner with Scott Bullock", [75], July 13, 2010
  93. ^ Clark Ruper "Alma Mater Support Program", [76], August 24, 2010
  94. ^ Peter Neiger "Speaker Registration Form", [77], August 8, 2010
  95. ^ Students For Liberty "About", [78], March 24, 2008
  96. ^ Alexander McCobin "New SFL Staff", [79], April 12, 2011
  97. ^ Alexander McCobin "Executive Board", [80], April 9, 2008
  98. ^ Alexander McCobin "Leadership", [81], June 22, 2009
  99. ^ About ESFL | Students For Liberty
  100. ^ Students For Liberty "Finances", [82], July 21, 2010

External links