Student Press Law Center

The Student Press Law Center (SPLC) is a non-profit organization in the United States that aims to protect press freedom rights for student journalists at high school and university student newspapers. It describes itself as "an advocate for student free-press rights [that] provides information, advice and legal assistance at no charge to students and the educators who work with them."
The SPLC was founded in 1974. The Kennedy Memorial Foundation and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press created the center at the recommendation of the Commission of Inquiry into High School Journalism. The center became a separate corporation in 1979. It is the only legal assistance agency in the United States with the primary mission of educating high school and college journalists about the rights and responsibilities embodied in the First Amendment and supporting the freedom of expression of student news media to address issues and express themselves free from censorship.
The SPLC is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) corporation. It is headquartered in the University of California Building in Washington, D.C. It was previously headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, where it shared a suite of offices with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Services.
The SPLC:
Advocacy.
The SPLC has advocated for the passage of "New Voices" legislation at the state level to protect student journalists' rights. The organization has promoted and funded Student Press Freedom Day on college campuses. In 2019, it awarded four students journalists a "Courage in Student Journalism Award". The award was given in conjunction with the Center for Scholastic Journalism at Kent State University and the National Scholastic Press Association.
Newspaper theft.
The organization tracks the theft of free newspapers on college campuses. The group considers the disappearance of the student newspapers as censorship by theft.
Governance and staff.
The SPLC is run by an executive director and a board of directors composed primarily of attorneys, professional journalists and journalism educators. The current executive director, Hadar Harris, was named to the position in September 2017. The previous executive director was Frank LoMonte, who served from January 2008 until September 2017. He was preceded by Mark Goodman, who served from 1985 to 2007.
Funding.
The SPLC is supported by contributions from student journalists, journalism educators, and other individuals, as well as by donations from foundations and corporations. On January 23, 2007, the SPLC successfully completed a three-year $3.75 million endowment campaign, spurred by a challenge grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. In 2017, the organization's total revenue was $763,920, as shown on IRS Form 990.