Personnel is policy: Education secretary Betsy DeVos appoints First Amendment advocate Adam Kissel as deputy assistant secretary for higher ed programs. Kissel was a frequent critic of universities violating the free speech rights of students and faculty.
As director of the Individual Rights Defense Program and vice president of programs at FIRE, Kissel was a frequent critic of universities the group has accused of violating the free speech rights of students and faculty. He’s also criticized broader “intolerance” on campuses. Kissel has also taken issue with the standard of proof used by colleges in the adjudication of recent sexual harassment and assault cases.