The UofM is crafting a “Major Events Policy” to create a rule to handle large events and outside speakers, which would attempt to protect free speech while “balancing safety and resources for large events.”
According to the University, the policy is currently being circulated among campus groups and faculty for comment.
Campus conservatives are cautiously optimistic about the University’s move—in the past, events were moved or canceled without any specific reason given, and without pointing to any pre-existing policy.
The most famous example is when the University moved a Ben Shapiro speech at the last minute from the Minneapolis campus to the St. Paul campus. Because of that, a lawsuit was filed by several conservative groups, which is still playing out in the courts. The lawsuit alleges that the UofM violated the First Amendment of the constitution, and engaged in political bias.
Yet some spy a larger problem, even one the policy is enacted. Conservatives on campus feel their speech is suppressed every day in the classroom, and that the issue of conservative speakers on campus is only just the icing on the cake. “I think that is a large issue stemming from professors and the teaching staff on campus,” said Tiana Meador.
Alpha News has yet to see the draft policy, and any student or group who would like to share the draft policy with Alpha News should send an email to pbagnpghf@nycunarjfza.pbz.
Willis Krumholz
Willis L. Krumholz is a fellow at Defense Priorities. He holds a JD and MBA degree from the University of St. Thomas, and works in the financial services industry. The views expressed are those of the author only. You can follow Willis on Twitter @WillKrumholz.
