Washington State University (WSU) is committed to academic freedom and the open exchange of ideas, and it’s important for students to understand their rights and responsibilities when it comes to free speech on campus. WSU, as an actor of the state, approaches policies relating to speech in a content-neutral manner. This means that WSU will not ban speech because it expresses one viewpoint over another, unless the speech constitutes a prohibited form of speech. This means that students have broad ability to speak on matters of interest and to express their viewpoints.
In the classroom, students have the right to engage in discussions, pursue research, and express diverse viewpoints and opinions, provided it does not interfere with the rights of others or the mission of the institution. Even controversial or unpopular speech is protected, unless it falls into a category of prohibited speech or is prohibited by the WSU Standards of Conduct for Students.
In the same way that you have the right to express yourself, other students have the right to engage in countering viewpoints. You should expect to be challenged by your instructors and other students in the university community. Engaging in civil debate, discussing opinions, engaging in free inquiry, expressing independent judgment, and questioning assumptions is an important foundation for critical thinking.
Although students have the right to express their opinions and viewpoints in a classroom space, instructors also must deliver course material to the entire class. It’s important to engage civilly and respectfully in these spaces, so multiple opinions and perspectives can be expressed and the instructor has the ability to complete their course objectives on schedule. Consider how to express your view point without dominating the conversation, making others feel bad, or substantially disrupting the delivery of the course materials. Consider relying on academic sources and factual information to help express yourself and demonstrate competence in the course. Student speech within courses which is unrelated to course materials, harassing, threatening, or which substantially disrupts or materially interferes with the delivery of course materials may be considered disruptive speech and be subject to disciplinary sanctions.
Students may engage in political and ideological speech, except when doing so results in disruption or obstruction to normal university operations or when the speech constitutes prohibited speech. Students who are also WSU employees are subject to the Ethics in Public Service Act, which limits the use of university resources for personal and political activities. For more information, please review the University Ethics Policy, Executive Policy 45.
Students have the right to peacefully protest and express their opinions on campus issues, such as tuition fees, campus policies, or social justice issues.
Students have the right to counter-protest as well. Students may want to consider whether a counter protest furthers their goals. Often, controversial or inflammatory speakers rely on counter protestors to heighten media attention to their speech. Sometimes, ignoring an inflammatory speaker is the safest and most effective option.
WSU discourages individuals from engaging in speech that is intended to stifle others’ speech (e.g. a heckler’s veto). An example of this kind of conduct would be a situation in which a speaker is lecturing, and a heckler starts yelling loudly and pervasively which results in the lecture ending prematurely. The program has the right to stop the heckler to allow the lecture to continue; security or law enforcement may need to be consulted; and there may be employment or student conduct consequences for individuals engaging in such conduct.
To ensure the safety and well-being of the campus community, WSU has identified areas of each campus that are available for first amendment activities, subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. These are referred to as limited public forum areas. The limited public forum areas include all university facilities, with the exception of the interior or immediate vicinity of university facilities used to support university research, academic instruction, or health services. Use of university facilities for first amendment/free speech activities is outlined in W.A.C. 504-33. In order to provide safe forums for speech, for conduct occuring on or in property either owned, controlled, or operated by the university which is used or set aside for university purposes, the following conduct is prohibited:
- Conduct that intentionally and substantially obstructs or disrupts teaching or freedom of movement or other lawful activities on the university campus;
- Physical abuse of any person or conduct that unlawfully threatens imminent bodily harm or endangers the health or safety of any person on the university campus;
- Malicious damage to or malicious misuse of university property, or the property of any person where such property is located on the university campus;
- Refusal to comply with any lawful order to leave the university campus or any portion thereof;
- Possession or use of firearms, explosives (including fireworks), dangerous chemicals, or other dangerous weapons or instrumentalities on the university campus. This prohibition does not apply to possession of such items for authorized university purposes; possession of such items by authorized law enforcement officers; individuals who have obtained prior written approval from the university chief of police, president, or designee; or lawful possession of firearms by persons other than students in privately owned vehicles while on any university campus;
- Unlawful possession, use, distribution, or manufacture of alcohol or controlled substances on the university campus or during university-sponsored activities;
- Intentionally inciting others to engage immediately in any of the conduct prohibited herein, which incitement leads directly to such conduct. (Inciting is advocacy that prepares the group addressed for imminent action and steels it to the conduct prohibited herein.)
Behavior such as encampments or occupations of university facilities, blocking access, or interfering with university functions is not protected by the 1st amendment.
For more information on campus speakers and protesting, please visit: Controversial speakers and events.
Student-run newspapers, magazines, and online publications have the right to publish articles, editorials, and opinions on a wide range of topics without censorship from the university administration. Student publications play a vital role in promoting open dialogue, critical thinking, and civic engagement on college campuses. WSU fully supports the rights of student journalists to create vibrant, informative, prying, and inclusive media. Student journalists and publications are generally entitled to the same First Amendment protections as professional journalists and media organizations. This includes the right to freedom of speech, freedom of press, and freedom of assembly. Student editors and staff can determine their own tone, content, and editorial direction without undue interference from the university. University restrictions on student publications are viewpoint neutral and consistent with the principles of the First Amendment.
WSU counts on our student journalists to engage in publication ethically, utilizing professional journalism standards of accuracy, fairness, and objectivity. Student journalists are encouraged to consider their own biases and to report truthfully and responsibly from credible sources. Students publications must comply with applicable campus policies and laws governing speech, copyright, and privacy.
Students can create and display artwork, performances, and installations that convey their ideas and perspectives, even if they challenge societal norms or provoke thought. This extends to visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, and multimedia projects and can include things like painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, music, theater, dance, poetry, film, digital media, and other forms of creative expression. Artistic expression allows the artist to explore and communicate their ideas in creative and different ways.
I think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.
Ai Weiwei, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
Student artists have the right to express themselves freely through their artwork, without censorship or prior restraint by school administrators, unless their speech constitutes some form of prohibited speech. Any restrictions on student artistic expression must be content-neutral and narrowly tailored, such as limitations relating to protection of the safety and well-being of students on campus or criminal activities such as vandalism. Generally, WSU does not suppress or punish student artwork based on its content or viewpoint. Artists, like other speakers, are allowed to express a diversity of opinions and viewpoints.