2025-07-29T10:29:52-04:00 2024-12-31 474306215 Mullins PC 7625 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda MD 20814 990 2024-01-01 874018419 MIT Free Speech Alliance % Wayne Stargardt MITF 2155312171 One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge MA 02142 WAYNE STARGARDT President 2155312171 2025-07-29 true true JOHN MULLINS P01429307 2027706371 2025-07-29 2024 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Wayne Stargardt One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge MA 02142 203814 false X X 2021 MA To promote free expression, academic freedom, viewpoint diversity, and open scientific inquiry in the MIT community 7 7 1 7 0 0 373087 203814 0 0 0 373087 203814 11500 0 129490 140166 0 13917 118989 139964 248479 291630 124608 -87816 460685 375869 26916 29916 433769 345953 To promote free expression, academic freedom, viewpoint diversity, and open scientific inquiry in the MIT community false false 146339 11500 2024 saw the MIT Free Speech Alliances second full year of programming. This included holding two debates on the MIT campus, in the spring and fall 2024 semesters, which were open to all members of the community. In April 2024, MFSA hosted a debate addressing the notion of the sex-and-gender binary, featuring two teams of academics and activists. In November 2024 we hosted a debate on the utility of decarbonization policies to address global warming, featuring two teams of scientific experts. The debates were moderated in turn by Nadine Strossen, former president of the American Civil Liberties Union, and John Tomasi, President of Heterodox Academy. Recordings of MFSAs debates are posted to our YouTube channel. MFSA also hosted its second annual conference at MIT in September 2024. The conference featured a variety of panel discussions and lectures on issues of free expression and academic freedom at MIT and in higher education more generally. The conference featured a keynote address by cognitive scientist and Harvard University professor Steven Pinker. Our 2024 conference marked an increase in attendance over 2023, and had greater participation by senior members of the MIT community, including its Vice President for Equity & Inclusion, who organized and moderated a session featuring a variety of MIT educators and professionals. In addition to our public events, we carried on with our regular member outreach and communications. We maintained our regular member newsletters to keep supporters aware of MFSAs activities and free speech-related developments at MIT, and held quarterly online member meetings with guest speakers. We also authored an extensive set of recommendations for improving MITs policies and climate on free expression that we provided to the administration. We additionally authored commentary on a series of controversies that took place at MIT following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, including disruptive protests and encampments and the improper suppression of a student publication. Finally, 2024 saw MFSAs most successful fundraising campaign to date, and our total membership reached 1,200. 146339 true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 7 0 true 1 true false false false false false false false false false false false false X 7 7 false false false false false false false true true false false false true true true false false true false false X The Organization 2155312171 One Broadway 14th Floor Cambridge MA 02142 Peter Bonilla Executive Director 40.00 0.00 X 126881 0 2280 Ken Kidd Director 2.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Eric Rasmusen Director 5.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Chuck Davis Chair Emeritus 1.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Melanie Ritcher Director 0.50 0.00 X 0 0 0 Wayne Stargardt President 17.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Cesarina Templeton Treasurer 10.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Bill Frezza Secretary 15.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 126881 0 2280 1 false false false 203814 203814 0 203814 0 0 0 11500 11500 126881 50753 63440 12688 2734 911 1595 228 10551 4006 5544 1001 1050 1050 36147 36147 22461 22461 8532 8532 6575 6575 3663 3663 53045 53045 4031 4031 4460 4460 291630 146339 131374 13917 422499 314254 25000 50000 2033 4493 11153 7122 460685 375869 26916 29916 26916 29916 X 158769 260953 275000 85000 433769 345953 460685 375869 -87816 0 X false true X true false X 343048 373087 203814 919949 343048 373087 203814 919949 0 0 0 0 0 0 919949 0 0 343048 373087 203814 919949 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED X 203814 203814 203814 291630 291630 291630 Part X, Line 2-Text in footnote regarding FIN 48 (ASC 740) MIT Free Speech Alliance is subject to income tax on net income that is derived from business activities that are unrelated to their exempt purposes. MIT Free Speech Alliance has determined that it is not subject to unrelated business income tax and has not filed an Exempt Organization Business Income Tax Return (Form 990-T) with the IRS. MIT Free Speech Alliance does not have any uncertain tax positions that are material to the financial statements. MIT Free Speech Alliance would recognize future accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits and liabilities in income tax expense if such interest and penalties are incurred. true MIT Concourse MIT Bldg 16-129 Cambridge MA 02139 5000 NA NA Program Services MIT Open discourse Society 77 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge MA 02139 5000 NA NA Program Services 2 Form 990 governing body review Part VI line 11 The 990 was shared with The Board of Directors before filing. Conflict of interest policy compliance Part VI line 12c The Board, the Executive Committee and the officers are all aware of and were involved in the debate on, and adoption of, the conflict-of-interest policy. All of these are aware of the obligation to disclose any conflict of interest. The Board, Executive Committee and officers monitor all transactions of the Corporation for potential conflicts of interest. To date the corporation has not had any transactions with interested parties. None of the officers, directors or employees have any financial interest in the Corporation or in any person or entity with whom the Corporation has had any financial transaction or other dealings. The Board, Executive Committee, officers, and the Executive Director will continue to monitor all dealings of the Corporation for conflicts of interest in accordance with the policy. CEO executive director top management comp Part VI line 15a MFSAs Board of Directors assembled an executive search team and approved a salary range for the hiring of MFSAs first Executive Director, based in part on a review of salary figures for simililarly situated organizations. The salary of the Executive Director was within the approved range. Governing documents etc available to public Part VI line 19 Available upon request