The University Senate has unanimously endorsed a report by the Chancellor’s Working Group on Free Speech, and has also made some recommendations to improve Syracuse University’s free speech policy.

In a report presented by the Senate Academic Affairs Committee on Wednesday, the committee sought further clarification over what constitutes a threat to SU’s education mission and which acts are considered permissible demonstrations of free speech. These factors will determine what protections and challenges of free speech can exist on campus, the report states.

“In general, the subcommittee took a stance of permissiveness on free speech issues, that is, we believe there should be few, if any, free speech restrictions on the Syracuse University campus,” the report states, adding that whatever speech is protected under the First Amendment off campus should apply on campus.

The working group’s report was initially intended to cover only the computer and electronic policy, but it expanded to cover speech of all forms on campus. For example, less obvious forms of speech, such as flags and banners, are recommended to be hung only in personal offices or dorm rooms.

On this, the senate report said the recommendation was too “broad and unclear,” ultimately restricting free speech.

“This is an extremely sensitive issue that requires exploration, research and ultimately, clarification,” the report says.

The senate report also provided feedback on the working group’s recommendations about public demonstrating and occupations. The group too vaguely defined what a public or private space is, which could result in unnecessary restrictions of free speech, the report states.

In that same vein, the senate report called on the working group to better clarify when occupations of a campus building threaten the university’s educational mission or are a protected form of free speech.

When evaluating harassing speech on campus, the senate report suggested the university consider a “reasonable person standard” such as those applied at Mississippi State University. This standard defines harassing speech as words that are so offensive that a reasonable person with “the same characteristics of the victim would be adversely affected to a degree that interferes with his or her ability to participate in … an institutional activity, opportunity or resource,” according to the university’s policy manual.

MSU currently has a green light rating on speech code by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, meaning its policies don’t seriously threaten free speech on campus. SU has an overall red light rating from FIRE, specifically on its computing and electronic communications policy and policy on sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking or relationship violence, among others.

If SU were to adopt the reasonable person standard, the report recommends that further clarification be made on who falls under that description. For example, what one group — such as men or American students — considers reasonable, might not be reasonable to another group – such as women and international students, the report says.

“This standard is based on perceptions, which may make it hard to apply, particularly across groups, cultures, and societies,” according to the report.

Published on March 30, 2016 at 10:56 pm

Contact Annie: apalme05@syr.edu