Despite recent criticism of university policy, many leaders within the ISU community don’t think free speech is a problem on campus. In fact, despite potentially restrictive policies, university administrators encourage ISU students to take part in and facilitate the exchange of ideas.

Dr. Tom Hill, vice president of student affairs, is a strong supporter of students’ rights to express their opinions and take part in exchanging ideas.

“This is an educational institution and this is America,” Hill said. “Free speech is one of our fundamental rights. [In education], it’s a cornerstone.”

Hill feels that free speech is essential to the educational process that, in effect, allows students to exchange ideas, which is essential to learning in an academic environment. However, he believes it is important that people are sensitive to one another.

“You try to create an environment where people can be sensitive to those around them,” he said.

Hill is supportive of Iowa State’s policies, but he admits there is always room for improvement. He described how policies are always in the process of being improved, and the university is always working with students to strike a balance.

“There’s got to be some kind of balance. That’s what we’re trying to do, but I don’t know if anyone’s ever struck a perfect balance,” Hill said. “You have to keep adjusting, keep the lines of communication going.”

Hill said there have been very few instances where the university has had to discipline students for violations of university speech policies.

“I’ve always felt like Iowa State would hear anybody out and would never restrict anybody here on campus,” said Dakota Hoben, Government of the Student Body president.

Hoben couldn’t recall any instance where he had heard of someone being disciplined for violating policy, but he agreed with Hill that there are still areas where it could be improved.

“There’s always room for improvement,” he said. “Whatever administrators, whatever anybody is doing to help support freedom of speech is important.”

Sarah Clader, program director for the Student Empowerment Training Project based in Chicago, works in training student leaders in free speech and is a resource for students and organizations that seek advice regarding expression. The organization is dedicated to educating students about their rights and making sure that the educational environment remains open to public exchange.

“One of the main points of a college education is to teach critical thinking skills,” Clader said. “Part of that is to make sure people are exposed to different ideas and viewpoints. College campuses are a marketplace of ideas.”

Clader also feels that potential limits could be detrimental to a student’s education.

“It can have effects on whether there’s a vibrant array of organizations people can be a part of on campus,” she said. “It can hurt part of the educational experience that happens outside of the classroom.”

Michael Bugeja, director of the Greenlee School of Journalism, weighed in on the subject as well. Students in the Greenlee School host a First Amendment Day every spring to celebrate and educate the ISU community about free speech, and Bugeja said that it’s up to administrators like him to protect students’ rights.

“My job as a journalism school director is to let the campus know that our faculty and students are important to the climate of First Amendment at our university and to the climate, in general, on our campus,” he said. “Faculty and students have used First Amendment rights to promote diversity and civility, for instance, without the necessity of codes, and that again is the difference between a legal vs. journalism approach to our freedoms.”

Hill remains optimistic and looks forward to improvement within the university. But he’s still believes Iowa State is a good environment for students.

“Free speech takes places all over the place,” he said.