The ISU Faculty Senate decided to support President Gregory Geoffroy’s desire to expand the free speech zone on campus.

The current policy regarding free speech on campus presumes that “all campus grounds and facilities are closed to uses other than those that are university sanctioned or approved,” according to Geoffroy’s memo to Senate members.

The memo stated that changes would “intend to provide students, faculty, staff and the public greater access to use of university facilities without requiring permission.”

Senate members voted and passed a stipulation allowing free speech in university facilities with the condition that certain areas, such as the Kildee atrium, would have to be reserved by free-speech groups in advance.

Palmer Holden, professor of animal science, proposed the amendment to the issue.

Holden said he made the proposal to add the stipulation to prevent atria from being used by free-speech groups if the areas were reserved for other uses.

“There’s no reason to restrict speech as long as it doesn’t interfere with the classroom or scheduled activities,” Palmer said.

The public policy requires prior approval to use indoor areas for free-speech uses and limits the use of bulletin boards.

The new policy would allow “small groups of students to use indoor atria and similar areas for organized activity without permission” and would allow bulletin boards to be used by groups other than university departments and recognized organizations.

This would include rules on “current time limits on posting,” and add “a size limitation to reduce conflicts between users.”

Max Porter, professor of civil and construction engineering, said he voted for the new free-speech proposal.

He said he did not feel free speech should disrupt a person trying to teach a class, because the disruption would prevent the person teaching the class from expressing his or her right to free speech.