Speech Restrictions

In an article posted by Inside Higher Education, a proposed policy at Northeastern Illinois University would require protesters to submit copies of fliers and signs to administrators two weeks before bringing them on the campus, sparking criticism from free speech advocates.

The policy, introduced more than a year after two students were arrested while protesting CIA recruiters on campus, is intended to clarify university rules - not to stifle speech, according to Sharon Hahs, president of the university. The university, she explains wants to keep a record of materials distributed on campus, but does not intend to prevent lawful demonstrations. She states the university administrators are addressing potential security concerns; particularly in the wake of recent shootings on college campuses. Hahs said administrators are "expected to know" about activities on university grounds.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) called the policy "blatantly unconstutional." John Wilson, a blogger at collegefreedom.org and author of Patriotic Correctness: Academic Freedom and Its Enemies, agrees, and states its really over the top and he hasn't seen anything so restrictive at a public university before.

In addition, the policy forbids demonstrations in particular buildings and limits protests to particular hours. Both restrictions, however, can be lifted in certain cases, according to the policy. Has goes on to say the university's career fair has "acquired a reputation as a contentious and inhospitable enviornment," has been sparsely attended because employers and military recruiters expect to be heckled by protesters. She states she would be open to protesters demonstrating outside the event, but that the university needs a policy that will prevent protesters from disrupting the event itself.

As university administrators are faced with protests of all sorts, I feel the method Northeastern Illinois University does not violate students free speech rights. They are simply being proactive in knowing what protesters plan to distribute to the campus community. In other words, the administrators want to be mindful of what is planned during the protest. In relation to the protests during the career fair events, I feel those should not be allowed inside as Dr. Has mentioned. It is very disrespectful to have protesters inside an event of such sort while other students are seeking employment and/or intership opportunities. If you were a student affairs administrator, would you support Dr. Has new policy at Northeastern Illinois University?