As the Washington Free Beacon reports, and as others have reported here and here, Brandeis University issued a “No Contact Order” (NCO) to student journalist and outspoken Israel-supporter Daniel Mael last week, which would have restricted his movements on campus. This order, which was immediately revoked this past Friday following an intense media outcry, comes a year after the University brought harassment claims under the university code of conduct against Mael following complaints from another student regarding a private dispute over a guest speaker from the Israel Defense Forces. Mael told the Free Beacon that there had been no due process or judicial proceeding surrounding the order, which reflects the way in which he maintains the University has been targeting him since the beginning of the controversy last year. This latest action from Brandeis University is in response to the harsh backlash Mael has experienced after publishing a blog post criticizing a fellow student’s incendiary remarks on social media. Mael has published an article in Time in response to the incident, criticizing his fellow students and arguing that they “exhibit selective outrage and are willing to extol the virtues of free speech, but only when that speech confirms their preconceived biases.” The University responds, however, that the NCO was issued as a matter of protection for Mael. In a recent column for the Jerusalem Post, Alan Dershowitz of Harvard University urged Brandeis University to protect Mael’s right to free inquiry, saying, “Free speech for me but not for thee cannot become the operative motto of a great university.” Dershowitz went on to express his faith “that Brandeis will be according protection to Mael and defending his freedom of expression and that it will guarantee the safety of all of its students”. In another recent article, Dershowitz praised the way in which Brandeis University President Fred Lawrence has continued to make known his commitment to the Jewish people and to Zionism while also assuring the rights of free expression to those who disagree with him. “There are few more difficult jobs today than being a university president,” writes Dershowitz. “They must balance so many conflicting principles and values. President Lawrence has tried hard to strike the appropriate balance under challenging circumstances. In my view, both he and the university have done a commendable job.” (Note: The Louis D. Brandeis Center is not connected with Brandeis University.)