Troy University, a public university in Troy, Ala., has an overall red speech rating according to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s campus free speech rating system.
However, their policies relating specifically to free speech are yellow light. Institutions which hold a yellow-light speech code rating are defined as ones that have “at least one ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application.”
Troy received this rating for policies which restrict the distribution of literature as well as speech and demonstrations. Troy has a statement in which it recognizes the freedom of speech, yet it still holds these restrictive policies.
Students at Troy run the risk of having their freedom of speech impeded by administration officials thanks to its ambiguous policies that require several forms of speech to be approved by those officials. Its policy on Advertising, Distribution of Literature, Notices and other Printed Materials reads, “Organizations or individuals proposing to distribute printed materials on the campus must obtain permission from the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership (Troy) or the Student Services Office (other campuses).”
Likewise, Troy’s policy on Speech and Demonstration opens the door for administrative overreach. It states that “Troy University recognizes and supports the rights of students and employees to speak in public and to demonstrate in a lawful manner. In order to maintain safety, security and order, and to ensure the orderly scheduling of campus facilities, and to preclude conflicts with academic and curricular activities, Troy University reserves the right to such activities.”
Troy’s Commitment to Free Speech claims that “Students at public universities enjoy robust speech rights under the Constitution in order to contribute to the marketplace of ideas, learn from each other, and freely discuss and debate a wide range of issues. Troy University is committed to protecting the freedom of speech for students, faculty, and staff, and will not infringe on speech that may be considered to be an unpopular or inconvenient expression of ideas.”
Despite such a strong statement in favor of free speech, the actual policies of the university allow for its infringement.
“Given that college campuses are the alleged bastions of intellectual thought in our country (or they should be, anyway), they should be as tolerant as possible in the ideas that they allow in order to generate an active discourse,” Cooper Dossett, Young Americans for Liberty Chapter president at Troy, told the Washington Examiner.
Troy University did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
Jacob Nestle is a junior at Ashland University studying political science and philosophy. He is a Young Americans for Liberty media ambassador and chapter president, and was born in Yokosuka, Japan.
