Princeton’s ‘Bias-Reporting’ System Is Stifling Campus

Last month, a fierce controversy erupted at Stanford University over the school’s use of an anonymous reporting system to investigate allegations of bias, discrimination, and other behaviors that purportedly cause “harm.” Many faculty members and students are indignant over the reporting system, which they argue poses a clear and present danger to free speech and academic freedom on Stanford’s campus.

Similar systems are proliferating on campuses across the country. According to a 2022 Speech First report, more than 450 U.S. colleges and universities maintain bias-reporting systems — approximately double the number that existed five years ago. As at Stanford, many of these systems allow complainants to register their reports anonymously.