Comments on: Is the University of Oklahoma chilling political speech? http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/ Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:13:48 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Some US universities try to curb activism « http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Some US universities try to curb activism « Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:42:28 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-166 [...] in support of a political candidate or placing a partisan bumper sticker on one’s car. At the University of Oklahoma, students and faculty were recently notified that they could not use their school e-mail accounts [...] [...] in support of a political candidate or placing a partisan bumper sticker on one’s car. At the University of Oklahoma, students and faculty were recently notified that they could not use their school e-mail accounts [...]

]]> By: jason fager - OU Political Speech Update: Success! http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-141 jason fager - OU Political Speech Update: Success! Tue, 28 Oct 2008 06:34:07 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-141 [...] Back in September, the University of Oklahoma sent out a mass email explaining its policy on the use of University email accounts and network resources for political activity. Unfortunately, the wording of this mailing could have possibly had a chilling effect on legitimate free expression. [...] [...] Back in September, the University of Oklahoma sent out a mass email explaining its policy on the use of University email accounts and network resources for political activity. Unfortunately, the wording of this mailing could have possibly had a chilling effect on legitimate free expression. [...]

]]> By: Greg Lukianoff: As Election Nears, Censorship Fever Hits Colleges Campuses | Cross Party Lines http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-121 Greg Lukianoff: As Election Nears, Censorship Fever Hits Colleges Campuses | Cross Party Lines Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:01:25 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-121 [...] crazy, but sadly it’s true. Students at the University of Oklahoma have been warned not to use their university e-mail accounts for “the forwarding of political [...] [...] crazy, but sadly it’s true. Students at the University of Oklahoma have been warned not to use their university e-mail accounts for “the forwarding of political [...]

]]> By: Greg Lukianoff: As Election Nears, Censorship Fever Hits Colleges Campuses | PoliticsMuch.com http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-120 Greg Lukianoff: As Election Nears, Censorship Fever Hits Colleges Campuses | PoliticsMuch.com Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:15:58 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-120 [...] crazy, but sadly it’s true. Students at the University of Oklahoma have been warned not to use their university e-mail accounts for “the forwarding of political [...] [...] crazy, but sadly it’s true. Students at the University of Oklahoma have been warned not to use their university e-mail accounts for “the forwarding of political [...]

]]> By: Greg Lukianoff: As Election Nears, Censorship Fever Hits Colleges Campuses | ChrisLawrenceOnline http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-119 Greg Lukianoff: As Election Nears, Censorship Fever Hits Colleges Campuses | ChrisLawrenceOnline Fri, 17 Oct 2008 01:03:50 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-119 [...] crazy, but sadly it’s true. Students at the University of Oklahoma have been warned not to use their university e-mail accounts for “the forwarding of political [...] [...] crazy, but sadly it’s true. Students at the University of Oklahoma have been warned not to use their university e-mail accounts for “the forwarding of political [...]

]]> By: Jason http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-117 Jason Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:57:57 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-117 Hi Adam, thanks for the update. I followed the link to your press release; I found a letter from President Boren stating that the intent of the original mass mailing was misinterpreted. I don't think this constitutes a change in policy. In fact, it reinforces my original concern, that they were creating a chilling effect that they wouldn't acknowledge, made excuses for, and refused to correct. Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad that FIRE is taking notice of this issue and is using its resources to apply pressure on the University. I just hope that you would reconsider your interpretation of President Boren's letter, and that you would keep pushing for what I feel is really important: a follow-up mass mailing that clarifies the intent and undoes any chilling effect, and a review of the wording of the policy that backed the original mass mailing. Hi Adam, thanks for the update. I followed the link to your press release; I found a letter from President Boren stating that the intent of the original mass mailing was misinterpreted. I don’t think this constitutes a change in policy. In fact, it reinforces my original concern, that they were creating a chilling effect that they wouldn’t acknowledge, made excuses for, and refused to correct.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very glad that FIRE is taking notice of this issue and is using its resources to apply pressure on the University. I just hope that you would reconsider your interpretation of President Boren’s letter, and that you would keep pushing for what I feel is really important: a follow-up mass mailing that clarifies the intent and undoes any chilling effect, and a review of the wording of the policy that backed the original mass mailing.

]]> By: Adam Kissel http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Adam Kissel Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:48:58 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-116 The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education inquired about this policy and received a response that everyone at OU should know about. The restriction is now only against such expression “to the extent discussions are attributable to the University as endorsing or opposing a political candidate.” So, almost all political speech by faculty, and all political speech by students, are no longer prohibited. See FIRE's press release: http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/9803.html The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education inquired about this policy and received a response that everyone at OU should know about. The restriction is now only against such expression “to the extent discussions are attributable to the University as endorsing or opposing a political candidate.” So, almost all political speech by faculty, and all political speech by students, are no longer prohibited. See FIRE’s press release: http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/9803.html

]]> By: jason fager - More on OU’s Political Speech Policy http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-42 jason fager - More on OU’s Political Speech Policy Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:11:52 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-42 [...] up on my last post, Anil Gollahalli was kind enough to send me a detailed explanation of the school’s acceptable [...] [...] up on my last post, Anil Gollahalli was kind enough to send me a detailed explanation of the school’s acceptable [...]

]]> By: Jason http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Jason Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:01:22 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-41 Hey, I'm glad that other people are upset. Make sure to email Mr. Hathaway about your concerns; he needs to send out another email making it very explicit what is or isn't allowed. Hey, I’m glad that other people are upset. Make sure to email Mr. Hathaway about your concerns; he needs to send out another email making it very explicit what is or isn’t allowed.

]]> By: Dustin http://jasonfager.com/134-is-the-university-of-oklahoma-suppressing-political-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-40 Dustin Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:55:53 +0000 http://jasonfager.com/?p=134#comment-40 I just got this email as well. I was very unhappy with it and googled the first line and found your post. It really seems ridiculous that they would make this demand/request. I just got this email as well. I was very unhappy with it and googled the first line and found your post. It really seems ridiculous that they would make this demand/request.

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