- February 11, 2026
- By Allison Dickinson
The Bias Incident Support Services (BISS) team based in UMD’s Belonging and Community is launching a video series on free speech and expression this semester.
Starting Wednesday, it will release a conversation between BISS Director b.a. medina and a respected partner every other week in the Belonging newsletter and in the Resource Library on the Belonging website.
Topics and guests include:
- “The Impact of our Words” with Dawn Collins, mother of the late Lt. Richard Collins
- “Honoring Indigeneity” with Rico Newman, Piscataway elder of the Choptico band)
- “Free Speech and Expression Legal Considerations” with Jay Rosselló, vice president for legal affairs and UMD general counsel
- “Free Expression Through the Arts” with College of Arts and Humanities Dean Stephanie Shonekan
- “Academic Freedom and Intellectual Curiosity” with Sharon Fries-Britt, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education
- “Free Speech Policies and Procedures” with James Bond, assistant dean in the Division of Student Affairs and director of student conduct