By all accounts, the inaugural annual meeting of The Jefferson Council was a tremendous success, bringing together alumni, students, faculty members, and parents in support of free speech, intellectual diversity, and the Jeffersonian tradition.

You can find a brief description and recording of each speech below.

Opening Remarks
Bert Ellis, founding president of The Jefferson Council, provides an overview of the inaugural annual meeting and summarizes the four pillars of the Council — freedom of speech and intellectual diversity, preservation of the Jeffersonian legacy, revitalization of the Honor Code, and upholding the dignity of the Lawn as a World Heritage site.

How Radical is Student Council
Nick Cabrera, president of the University of Virginia branch of the Young Americans for Freedom, describes his up-close-and-personal encounters with the free speech-stifling radicals of the University of Virginia student government.

Morgan Bettinger Case Study
In this case study presentation, The Jefferson Council board member Charles “Buddy” Weber recounts the Kafkaesque journey of his client Morgan Bettinger through the University of Virginia’s woke student justice system.

The McCarthy Era on Grounds
Joel Gardner, The Jefferson Council board member, describes how conservative voices are stifled at the University of Virginia.

Fighting for Free Speech
Connor Murname with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education describes how FIRE fights for free speech and free expression on college campuses.

Video Greeting from Governor Glenn Youngkin

Our University: Things that Change and Things that Stay the Same
Kenneth Elzinga, UVA’s legendary economics professor, lists the changes at UVA over the past half century.

Keynote Speech
Speaking from the perspective as the son of a Cuban immigrant, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares defends the legacy of Thomas Jefferson and his contribution to human freedom.