Proposed-New-UVM-Policy-on-Campus-Speakers-UA-message-Nov-2021

United Academics’ Concerns about the Status of Free Speech on Campus and Changes to UVM’s Policy on Campus Speakers November 2021 UVM has a Policy on Campus Speakers (https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/UVMPolicies/policies/campus_speaker.pdf?t=r1n6i1) It was approved by the UVM President on February 24, 2004 UVM also has a Policy on Free Expression and Campus Disruption (https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/files/UVM-Policies/policies/demonstrations.pdf?t=r1n6i1) which has been revised several times This latest revision does not carry a revision date, but does indicate that it has been effective since August 13, 2020 On September 27, 2021, UA was provided with the opportunity to comment on a set of new policies by October 8, 2021 One of those policies was a proposed revision of the Campus Speakers policy (https://www.unitedacademics.org/uvm-draft-policies-guidelines-documents) Under the banner of fostering “the culture of free inquiry essential to the advancement of our mission, UVM’s proposed policy advances the claim that freedom of speech is “subject to content neutral, and reasonable, time, place and manner restrictions.” The definition of disruptions contained in the Policy on Free Expression and Campus Disruptions is also broadened It now specifically includes behavior that “interferes with the rights of others to assemble peaceably to hear an invited speaker, or for an invited speaker to present views in a lawful manner.” The leadership of UA is especially concerned about the changes to the Policy on Campus Speakers with respect to possible discipline for violations of said policy and would like to call the campus community’s attention to it The proposed policy contains a new, explicit threat to employees and students of “disciplinary action, up to and including separation from the University” for violations of the policy Changes to UVM policies are provided to the faculty union for review and comment as part of our union contract; they are also provided to the leadership of the faculty senate The proposed changes discussed here are important enough and extensive enough that the leadership of UA feels that they should be widely communicated to the UVM community and be the focus of extensive university community discussion before they are approved by the UVM President