Speaker’s Corner Raises Free Speech Concerns

KATIE GOODRICH | Assistant News Editor

Butler Universitys free speech policies will undergo changes to make the policies and process clearer for students wishing to demonstrate on campus.

Really, we dont have any formal guidelines (on free speech) per se, said Levester Johnson, vice president for student affairs, besides the time, place and manner approach, which isnt written down, and acknowledgment that we have a Speakers Corner.

The Speakers Corner at Norris Plaza has been the designated area for demonstrations on campus since September 1995, although this information had never been published, Johnson said.

We just had institutional knowledge of a Speakers Corner, Johnson said.

Norris Plaza and the Speakers Stone, a statue of a book, are located at the intersection of the north, south, east and west malls. It is between Lilly and Jordan Halls. The stone is on the south side of the plaza.

There is a portion that addresses the Speakers Corner in the Student Handbook in Rights and Responsibilities, Section XV.

Johnson said the sections main purpose is to provide a clear guideline for formal demonstrations. The policy is not a new piece, but now it is clearly published, Johnson said.

Many students and community members thought it would be really neat to have a Speakers Corner, Johnson said. (Norris Plaza and the Speakers Stone) were placed in order to support and acknowledge that voices want to be heard here on campus.

The Speakers Corner portion of the handbook was added to the 2013-2014 student handbook.

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Speaker’s Corner Raises Free Speech Concerns