MSU Denver’s president doesn’t just defend free speech. She teaches it

On the first day of class, David Fine, J.D., asks his students a question that, just a few years ago, provoked hesitation and discomfort: Should hate speech be protected?

This year, many students said yes.

That answer, once far from unanimous, signals how the conversation around free expression on college campuses is changing. It is also why Fine is again teaching The Politics of Free Speech at Metropolitan State University of Denver, joined by President Janine Davidson, Ph.D., as his co-teacher.

Together, they lead a Political Science course that examines the philosophical, legal and civic foundations of free expression and asks students to do something far more difficult than memorizing case law: practice respectful, rigorous dialogue about the issues dividing society.

“Students are arriving with a much more sophisticated understanding of free speech than they did even a few years ago,” said Fine, who serves as the University’s general counsel. “But understanding the law is only the starting point. The real work is learning how to engage ideas you find troubling without trying to shut them down.”

For Jacob Moreno, a Political Science major, that difference is noticeable. 

“We get to talk to each other and debate ideas, where a lot of political science classes can be very theoretical,” Moreno said. “We discuss real applications and look at situations around speech in a way I didn’t see it before.” 

He added that Fine’s real-world experience shapes the classroom dynamic. 

“David Fine has great stories,” Moreno said. 

A course built for this moment

Across the country, colleges and universities are grappling with questions about protest, speech, harm and censorship, often under the glare of social media and national politics. At MSU Denver, the response has been deliberate and educational.

Fine, who served as Denver city attorney before coming to MSU Denver, brings deep legal expertise to the classroom, grounding discussion in constitutional law and the practical realities universities face. Davidson, whose background is in political science and public service, brings a complementary perspective rooted in governance, democratic institutions and executive decision-making.

“We come at this from different angles,” Fine said. “I focus on what the First Amendment protects and why. Janine brings the broader civic and political context, including how these principles play out in real institutions and real communities.”

The course traces free speech from its philosophical roots to modern legal debates, drawing on thinkers such as John Milton, John Stuart Mill and contemporary scholars wrestling with hate speech, social media and political polarization. Students analyze current events, debate contentious topics and learn to distinguish between protected speech and speech that crosses into threats or incitement.

“If we want a healthy democracy, we have to teach people how to think critically about their own beliefs and those of others,” Davidson said. “Those are skills higher education should help students hone.”

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Emma Fox, also a Political Science major, enrolled after taking constitutional law and wanting to better understand the First Amendment. She hopes to attend law school. 

“This class provides a different perspective on speech,” Fox said. 

As a member of the University’s Student Advocacy Council, Fox has participated in conversations about campus speech and student protests. 

“Being on TSAC, we talk a lot about campus speech and the protests, trying to figure out where our University stands on free speech,” she said. “We discuss whether the University has a responsibility to protect students from ideas they might not like.” 

The class, she said, helps ground those conversations in constitutional principles and open debate. 

Free speech beyond the classroom

For both instructors, the class is shaped not only by theory but also by leadership experience.

Davidson previously served as undersecretary of the Navy, a senior civilian role focused on strategy and institutional leadership. Fine has spent years navigating constitutional issues in public service. As leaders at MSU Denver, both have confronted the realities of free speech not as abstractions but as responsibilities.

That became especially clear during spring 2024, when student protests on campus brought questions of speech, protest and community impact into sharp focus. Students were not just reading about the First Amendment, they were experiencing its tensions in real time.

“Moments like that make clear why this kind of education matters,” Davidson said. “Students need space to wrestle with hard ideas before those ideas show up in the real world because they always do.”

Fine agrees.

“Universities are one of the few places where we can slow these conversations down,” he said. “Where disagreement doesn’t immediately turn into outrage or punishment, but into discussion.”

Rather than shielding students from discomfort, both see the University’s responsibility as helping them build the skills to engage it thoughtfully.

“Students will encounter ideas they strongly disagree with,” Davidson said. “Our role is to help them develop the tools to listen, respond and think critically, not just react.”

Why these conversations matter

At a University where many students balance jobs, families and civic responsibilities, free speech education is preparation for life beyond graduation.

“Our graduates serve and lead in communities across Colorado,” Davidson said. “Preparing them for public life means preparing them to navigate difference.”

MSU Denver is one of just a few universities nationally recognized for community engagement by the Carnegie Foundation, a distinction that underscores what MSU Denver faculty and staff members already know: Students need opportunities to learn how to engage diverse perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully.

This class puts that idea into practice by emphasizing dialogue over shutdown and critical thinking over reaction. Students are graded not just on exams and papers, but on participation in respectful debate, a signal that how ideas are exchanged matters as much as the ideas themselves.

Over time, Fine and Davidson watch students grow more confident engaging viewpoints they disagree with and more willing to question their own assumptions.

“The goal isn’t consensus,” Fine said. “The goal is learning how to stay in the conversation.”

As higher education continues to navigate a polarized era, MSU Denver’s approach reflects a core belief: At universities, difficult conversations should not stop learning. They should spark it.