Southeastern Louisiana University, a publicly funded institution located in Hammond, La., holds a red speech code rating, according to a campus free speech rating system belonging to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
“A red light institution has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech,” according to FIRE. “A ‘clear’ restriction is one that unambiguously infringes on what is or should be protected expression. In other words, the threat to free speech at a red light institution is obvious on the face of the policy and does not depend on how the policy is applied.”
The university’s most binding free speech policy is called the “University Policy on Public Speech, Assembly, and Demonstrations,” which gives the university power to regulate the time of speech or assembly activities.
The policy states, “In accordance with US Federal Court decisions, the University has the right to regulate the time of speech or assembly activities. A two (2) hour time period will be provided to individual(s) and/or organizations for these purposes at Southeastern. Speech/assembly activities will be limited to one two (2) hour time limit per seven (7) day period, commencing the Monday of each week.”
“Southeastern Louisiana University misunderstands what it means to regulate the time, place, and manner of speech. Like many other universities, they grab for power and prohibit speech except for two hours periods once a week, in front of the student union,” Alex Staudt, director of free speech for the Young Americans for Liberty, told Red Alert Politics. “I strongly urge the President, John L. Crain, to learn from the mistakes the University of Massachusetts – Amherst made before it’s too late.”
According to the university’s policy, the Student Activity Center and the Presidential Plaza are the only areas deemed permissible for public speech and assemblies, which may be conducted by students without approval from the administration.
“Open debate and the sharing of ideas can only thrive when free speech is upheld and respected,” Marcus Maldonado, YAL’s Louisiana State Chair, told Red Alert Politics. “Universities are meant to be places that facilitate conversations about the issues within society, but now we see everyday how universities are stifling these important debates by clamping down on free speech.”
Southeastern Louisiana University is one of seven universities in Louisiana that have received a red-light rating; three have yellow-light ratings. This shows an alarming trend where college administrators are no longer committed to the ideals of free speech.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards recently signed the “FORUM Act,” a bill that prohibits the implementation of “free speech zones” on public universities across the state.
Now that these schools are required to uphold the First Amendment on a state level as well as a federal level, many campus policies may be forced to change.
Southeastern Louisiana University did not respond to Red Alert Politics’ request for comment in time of publication.
