Students react to Hickenlooper’s ban on free speech zones – KRDO

Groups gathered to protest Milo Yiannocpoulos in Boulder, Colo. on January 25, 2017.

Groups gathered to protest Milo Yiannocpoulos in Boulder, Colo. on January 25, 2017.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Colorado is breaking new ground in the topic of free speech on college campuses. Gov. Hickenlooper signed a bill that bans restricting areas for free speech on college campuses last Tuesday.

Currently at UCCS, University Spokesman Tom Hutton, said free speech is allowed anywhere on campus.

However, students are required to schedule a protest for a certain space, and wait for approval before anything can happen.

Some students voiced their concerns that the form is an unnecessary convenience.

"I understand the University is concerned with how the protests may be viewed and how everything will go down," said Josh French, a freshman at UCCS. "Doing that slight disservice of waiting a week to fill out the papers, can severely inhibit the topic."

Others disagreed stating dedicated areas to protest are helpful to students.

"I'd much more prefer to have it in a designated area," said Brian McFadden. "I mean if you're walking to class now, you might have to walk through protests potentially."

Keep in mind: scheduling a protest will not go away at UCCS once this law goes into effect.

"If you have to fill out a form to practice free speech, that's not free speech," said John Schavey, a senior at UCCS.

CU officials said they've worked closely with the bill sponsors and made it clear there won't be big changes to CU-Boulder or CU-Denver.

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Students react to Hickenlooper's ban on free speech zones - KRDO