EDITORIAL: Have thoughts about free speech at Elon? Come discuss!

Some researchers are saying free speech is suppressed on college campuses — an April 2016 Gallup survey that surveyed more than 3,000 college students in the nation revealed that 54 percent of students believe, “the climate on [their] campus prevents some people from saying what they believe because others might find it offensive.”

 Others are saying that colleges are just becoming more inclusive — the Wall Street Journal reported on a survey of 800 college students that found 51 percent, “favored speech codes.”

 But what are you saying?  

On Oct. 6, Elon News Network and SGA will co-host a town hall about how free speech is practiced on college campuses and how it affects life at Elon. Elon News Network Director, Tommy Hamzik, will lead the conversation. 

The objective of the event is not to support or advocate for any particular argument or viewpoint. Instead, the point is to encourage an open and free discussion driven by the audience. All members of the community are welcome to come and contribute to a meaningful exchange of ideas.

Topics discussed will include student issues, SGA updates and Kathleen Parker’s speech at the Baird Pulitzer Prize Lecture. 

In an email sent to Elon students last week, Smith Jackson, vice president of student life and dean of students, shared the university’s guidelines on student demonstrations and political activities, emphasizing that, “[they] respect the right of all students to express their ideas freely and to demonstrate their concerns collectively by orderly means.”

Directing students to a PhoenixConnect link to register demonstrations, “in any on-campus venue that can be reserved for events,” the message from University is clear: It respects students’ right to exercise organized and orderly free speech. 

But the guidelines are not only protecting students’ right to speak. They also make it clear that students cannot protest or demonstrate speakers on campus in a way that infringes upon others’ ability to view or to comprehend the speaker. 

With Elon paying attention to what it means to speak, petition and demonstrate freely on this campus, it’s important that we, as students, unpack how this translates to our day-to-day experiences.