News Highlights

Committee developing new campus free-speech policy

2006-04-09

By Robb Murray, Free Press Staff Writer [published in The Free Press, Mankato]

MANKATO — Nothing like a little confusion to prompt a big change.

Confusion in Minnesota State University's demonstration policy and complaining by one student organization have prompted the president to throw the old policy out, install a more lenient, temporary one and establish a committee to draft a new permanent one.

MSU President Richard Davenport, in a memo to all MSU employees Friday, said there has been some "invigorating conversation" about the demonstration policy as of late.

And much it has come from a group called Student Resistance. The group had raised concerns about the now-abolished policy, saying they thought it too restrictive to free speech.

Melissa Bartley and Eric Bonds, two students who lead the group, said their concerns were raised after some representatives from MSU's Kessel Peace Institute wanted to set up a site on campus to host several speakers.

When they were told that anyone who wanted to hold a demonstration or event had to do it on a designated site near the library - and that they had to fill out form and get permission to do so - Student Resistance thought that didn't really epitomize what college campuses are supposed to be about.

"That implied that the rest of the campus wasn't open for free speech," Bonds said. "And if you have to get approval to use free speech, it's kind of like not having free speech."

Group members wrote letters to Davenport urging him to change the policy. Eventually, Davenport responded, abolished the old policy and announced the formation of a committee to make a new one.

"I think this turned out very positively," Bartley said.

Added Bonds, "I'd almost like to commend the president. We need to thank him for standing up for free speech on our campus."

Davenport said he admired the group's approach.

"I thought it was a great group," he said. "They came in and were very well organized and had everything well planned with what they wanted to say."

Warren Sandmann, the assistant vice president who will lead the effort to craft a new policy, said the problem was more with how the old policy was worded, and the vagueness with which it states that demonstrations are allowed anywhere.

The old policy required groups to fill out paperwork and wait for permission to hold their demonstration. The interim policy simply requires that student groups call ahead to let the university know their demonstration plans.

From there, the students are free to demonstrate wherever they want, within reasonable limits. Davenport also said they will never screen content. They simply want to be informed where the demonstrations will occur so they can ensure student, faculty and staff safety.

For example, students will not be allowed to disrupt classes in session, Sandmann said. And that area by the library set aside for demonstrations "no longer exists as such," Davenport's memo said.

"It is my intention that this campus remain open for a free exchange of ideas and beliefs with few restrictions," Davenport's memo said.

Sandmann said Davenport wants a new policy completed by the end of fall term. Sandmann said that while it might be difficult, he believes it can be done.

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