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Northern Kentucky University not only has a speech code, as noted yesterday, but also curtails free speech on campus in a number of other unreasonable and unconstitutional ways. The university confines student rallies, demonstrations, and so on to a "free speech zone"--something that the courts have long agreed public universities cannot legally do. The university also compels students who wish to post flyers, protest, etc. to acquire prior approval from university administrators, a move that profoundly chills free expression by banning spontaneity and by subjecting protected student speech to the prior restraint scenario of administrative review.
NKU's student paper has been having a field day with the Jacobsen case, and this morning is running a remarkable story documenting not only Sally Jacobsen's bungling attempts to advise her students about how to evade legal repercussions, but also the confused displeasure of English professor Christopher Wilkey, who is affiliated with NKU's Institute for Freedom Studies but does not appear to understand even the most basic facts of individual rights on a public university campus:
Dr. Christopher Wilkey, an assistant professor with the literature and language department, also works as an associate for the Institute of Freedom Studies on campus. Wilkey, according to the IFS Web site, "is committed to linking much of his professional work to the work of social injustice." He is also the faculty adviser to Students Together Against Racism (STAR)."I think that (this) speaks to the status of freedom of speech on this campus," Wilkey said. "The university needs to revisit our policies." Wilkey said the free-speech zone, which is located in front and to the left of the University Center, is half under construction, therefore unavailable to students. "There's no zone," he said. "Where can they go?"
Wilkey said there is all kinds of paperwork to be done and administrators to talk to when it comes to putting up a display on campus. He also said it's not something that can be done quickly. "Where is it that students can spontaneously address issues without going through the bureaucracy?" he asked. "And I don't mean passing out leaflets, but doing the displays. It can't be done quickly without spending hours with the administrators."
Wilkey is right about the free speech zone being restrictive -- but he shows his ignorance when he concludes that the problem is construction. He ought to know that students on a public university campus don't need a zone to express themselves, and that attempts by a university administration to confine student expression to a designated zone violate students' expressive rights.
Northern Kentucky may be hitting the right notes with its official rhetorical endorsements of free speech, but the school has several policies that both undermine those endorsements and compromise the integrity of NKU's claim to respect the First Amendment. It's nice that President Votruba has issued a statement expressing the educational importance of robust debate and competing views. But it would be nicer if he backed that up with a serious review of NKU's chilling and repressive policies on speech.
Posted by acta online on April 19, 2006 at April 19, 2006 10:42 AM
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Comments
Cristopher Wilkey must be the first English professor ever to advocate on behalf of social *injustice*. May women and minoritites long feel the wrath of his reign!
"Free Speech Zone -- Under Construction" should be a banner at many of our colleges and universities these days. Kudos to NKU for making it official.
Posted by: Angus McHaggis at April 20, 2006 12:35 AM
It has long been the bane of student orgs that everything must be stamped with approval before being displayed. It's funny how local publications, including the venerated northerner (campus pub) have neglected this fact. And by funny I mean irresponsible.
You can think, feel, and say whatever you want, so long as it's approved.
Stampity stamp.
Nicci
(a May 2005 graduate of NKU, BA English, BFA Studio Art)
also a Women's Studies minor and Honors minor.
Posted by: nicci at April 21, 2006 12:43 PM
"There's no [free speech] zone," he said. "Where can they go?"
Here's a mind-blowing idea: How about the classroom?
Posted by: Federal Dog at April 22, 2006 07:24 PM