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Free Speech

UW-Stevens Point is a public university and, as a matter of law and institutional values, is dedicated to the principles of free speech and free expression as protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I of the Wisconsin Constitution and considers that dedication to be an essential part of its educational mission. Fulfilling the university’s mission requires that UW-Stevens Point robustly protect the opportunity of our community to engage in expressive activity in a variety of ways and locations. 

We also have the responsibility to ensure that teaching, research, scholarship, service, and university-sponsored events can occur in a safe and orderly manner without disruption and in a manner that is open and welcoming. It is entirely consistent with constitutional law for UW-Stevens Point to impose reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of expressive activity (e.g., events, protest, demonstrations) on its campus. 

These robust protections alongside reasonable restrictions work together to ensure our campus can fulfill our obligations under the First Amendment alongside our responsibilities to our educational mission, and to a safe and functional environment for teaching, research, and learning for all our students, faculty, and staff. 

FREE SPEECH AND FIRST AMENDMENT

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”  The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, as a public campus of the University of Wisconsin System, is committed to the principles captured in the First Amendment as part of the institution’s mission.

The first 10 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights, which were created to ensure the protection of certain individual liberties. While the language of the First Amendment refers only to “Congress,” the First Amendment – as well as most of the other Amendments that make up the Bill of Rights – applies to government entities in general by way of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. This includes federal, state, and local government officials, and extends to public schools and institutions including UW-Stevens Point.

Free speech is any form of speech – including nonverbal and silent protest as well as symbolic speech – that is legally protected by the First Amendment. This often includes speech that some find to be offensive or morally questionable. Justice William Brennan wrote in the Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. Johnson (1989), a case about the burning of an American flag: “If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because it finds it offensive or disagreeable.”

For more questions and answers, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

EXPRESSIVE ACTIVITY GUIDELINES

University community members as well as visitors may use outdoor public university areas for expressive activity, subject to the restrictions listed in applicable university policies. The university shall not consider the content or viewpoint of any expressive activity permitted by university policy when applying time, place, and manner restrictions. Unless otherwise regulated university community members and visitors may engage in spontaneous expressive activity unless otherwise restricted by law, university policy, or prior space reservations. 

  • Camping, as defined in Chapter UWS 18, is expressly prohibited on all university property including outdoor public university areas. 
  • Camping per the policy includes the pitching of tents or the overnight use of sleeping bags, blankets, makeshift shelters, motor homes, campers or camp trailers. 
  • No person may place or erect any facility or structure upon university lands unless authorized by the chancellor or designee Chapter UWS 18. 

  • Chalking is permitted on university sidewalks and university streets subject to the following restrictions: 
  • Chalking may only be done with water soluble materials. No paint, oil-based chalk, indelible marks, or spray chalk may be used. 
  • Chalking is prohibited on university buildings, courtyard areas, vertical surfaces, planters, doors, trash receptacles, fountains, benches, tables, signs, poles, columns, bus stops, light posts, trees, underneath overhangs or any covering, or any location where precipitation cannot wash away the chalk. 
  • Students, faculty, staff, and members of the public must not remove or tamper with chalking done by another person or organization. 
  • The university may remove chalking and other markings on university property, including outdoor public university areas, that violate university policy, including but not limited to this policy, or state or federal law. 

  • All conduct on university property, including expressive activity, must comply with applicable state and federal laws and university policies, including but not limited to facility use policies, Chapter UWS 17, Chapter UWS 18, Regent Policy 4-21, non-discrimination policies including but not limited to provisions prohibiting harassment, and lawful directives and orders from federal and state governments. 
  • Expressive activity may not materially and substantially disrupt university activities, events, or operations. This includes, but is not limited to: 
  • Disrupting the teaching of classes, study, research, or administration of the university. 
  • Impairing passage on university lands and through building corridors, stairways, doorways, building entrances, fire exits, and reception areas leading to offices. 
  • Interfering with university authorized or reserved use of university property, including, but not limited to, disrupting student organizations and university-invited speakers and other authorized talks or events. 
  • Interfering with or infringing on the rights and privileges of others on university property including in outdoor university public areas. 
  • Impeding or disrupting emergency services, including but not limited to, fire protection, law enforcement, or emergency or medical services. 

Expressive activity on university property, including in outdoor public university areas, must not physically injure any other person, damage or destroy property, physically interfere with another person’s bodily autonomy, or engage in constitutionally unprotected true threats against others. 

  • Exemptions to these guidelines are determined by the Senior Students Affairs Officer / Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs or their designee. 
  • When considering exemptions, the university shall not consider the content or viewpoint of any expressive activity permitted by university policy. 
  • UW-Stevens Point will enforce codes of conduct and other policies regarding activities on university owned or controlled property, to include expressive activities. 

  • University community members and visitors may hold signs and distribute written or printed non-commercial materials, such as flyers, leaflets, and publications on a person-to-person basis, unless otherwise regulated by university policy, including but not limited to, individual building use policies. 
  • Per Chapter UWS 18, signs must be handheld, not supported by standards or sticks, and may not be left unattended. 
  • Unless otherwise authorized by university policy no signs, posters, or banners may be erected or supported by piercing the surface of university property with stakes, posts, poles, anchors, or other materials. 
  • Signs or materials for distribution that violate university policy, including this policy, or state or federal law, are prohibited. 
  • Distribution of written materials in residence halls is governed by applicable Housing and Residence Life residence hall policies. 

Conduct, including expressive activity, must not create, or assist in creating, a noise disturbance. Please note that conduct, including expressive activity may not disrupt university operations, activities, and events in violation of items in the Conduct on University Owned or Controlled Property section of this document, even if it does not amount to a noise disturbance 

  • UW-Stevens Point has no outdoor posting locations. Materials may not be affixed to telephone poles, light poles, garbage cans, sidewalks, stairs/steps, benches, fences, trees, or buildings. 
  • In campus buildings, the posting of fliers and posters is only allowed on bulletin boards. 
  • See individual building bulletin boards for specific posting requirements or limitations. 
  • Except where otherwise indicated, postings must not exceed 11 inches by 17 inches and only one copy of a posting may be posted in the same designated space at any one time. 
  • Posting in residence halls is governed by applicable Housing and Residence Life residence hall policies. 

  • Conduct on university property including outdoor public university areas may not include the use sound amplification equipment unless expressly applied for and authorized by Conference and Event Services or University Police and Security Services. This prohibition extends to expressive activity. 
  • Under state law, authorization may be granted between the hours of 12PM-1:30PM and 5PM-7PM, every day. Applicants must show there is a need for the use of sound amplification equipment to communicate with the identified audience and that its use will not interfere with or disrupt university operations. 
  • Requests to use sound amplification equipment are included as part of the reservation process through University Police and Security Services. 

POLICIES

Every community has guidelines for acceptable behavior and use of spaces, and so do we. Students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the University are expected to know and abide by campus policies and processes, as well as state and federal laws.  

In the fall of 2017, the UW System Board of Regents adopted a policy titled “Commitment to Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression” (RPD 4-21) which reinforced the Board’s commitment to academic freedom, freedom of expression, and expectations for those who violate the policy.

This policy sets forth certain rights, protections, and responsibilities of our campus community in regard to academic freedom and freedom of expression. A few notable rights, protections, and requirements, among others:  

  • Members of the campus community have the right to engage in speech and expression on campus and to assemble and engage in spontaneous expressive activity as long as such speech, expression, or activity does not disrupt the functions of the university and does not violate any established guidelines or policies.  
  • Members of the campus community are free to criticize and contest the views expressed on campus as long as their actions do not materially and substantially disrupt the rights of others to engage in or listen to expressive activity, such as heckling an invited speaker to the point that the speaker’s message cannot be conveyed. This type of behavior may result in disciplinary action or sanctions. 
  • The First Amendment does not protect speech or expression that violates the law, falsely defames a specific individual, constitutes a genuine threat or discriminatory harassment, unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the university. 

Campus policy, as prescribed by the UW Board of Regents, establishes guidelines for reporting and responding to reports of discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, disability, pregnancy, marital or parental status, or any other category protected by law, including physical condition or developmental disability as defined in Wisconsin Statutes §51.01(5). 

Residence halls are considered non-public forums as they relate to the First Amendment. This means that Residential Living has both the right and responsibility to regulate the “public” side of room doors in the halls. Material placed on the public side of room doors must be in compliance with Residential Living policies, UWS Chapter 17, UWS Chapter 18, UWSP Discrimination and Harassment Policy, and UWSP alcohol policies. Additionally, no items may be adhered to or displayed in windows. 

All classroom spaces, meeting and conference rooms, and large events spaces must be reserved in advance. Likewise, most exterior events spaces (e.g. Pergola area in front of the Dreyfus University Center, Sprect Forum (the Sundial), front lawn of Old Main) must be reserved. Visit Campus Reservations or contact the appropriate space/room manager about reserving a space. Finally, the University has a number of policies specific to use of an on campus space (e.g., alcohol use, deposit policy).   

UWS Chapter 17 describes the process used by the University to address alleged student behavioral misconduct, what behavior is subject disciplinary action, and lists potential disciplinary sanctions. See pages 3 and 4 of CH 17 for the specific behaviors of concern. The student conduct process at UW-Stevens Point is coordinated by the Office of the Dean of Students.  

UWS Chapter 18 establishes our campus law enforcement agency and outlines policies about conduct on University owned or controlled lands. UWS Chapter 18 applies to everyone – students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors alike. Questions about the items shared in UWSP Chapter 18 should be directed to UW-Stevens Point Police and Security Services. 

Several items in UWSP Chapter 18 will be of particular interest to individuals planning an event, specifically: 18.07 Use of campus facilities; 18.11(4) Picketing, rallies, parades, demonstrations, and other assemblies; and 18.11(5) Sound-amplifying equipment. 

UWS Chapter 21 is the policy of the Board of Regents outlining that the facilities of the university are to be used primarily for purposes of fulfilling the university’s missions of teaching, research and public service. University facilities are not available for unrestricted use for other purposes. 

Additional Policies 

UW System Civil Discourse Guide (policy and resources) 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The First Amendment is a part of the United States Constitution and specifically protects individual rights against government infringement. It prevents the Government from restricting or prohibiting the right of individuals to engage in spoken and written speech, as well as symbolic speech and expressive activity. 

Its text reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Yes. 

  

Although the text of the First Amendment refers to “Congress,” the U.S. Supreme Court has long held that the Fourteenth Amendment “incorporates” the rights contained in the First Amendment, meaning that state and local government entities may not violate those rights. We are a public university and a state entity. Therefore, as a matter of law, the First Amendment applies to UW–Stevens Point and provides all members of the university community with the right to freedom of speech, although it may be restricted in some contexts. UW–Stevens Point’s actions and policies must abide by the requirements of the First Amendment, and it is a violation of the Constitution for the university’s actions or policies to conflict with them. 

The First Amendment provides extremely broad protection of individuals’ freedom of speech and expression. These protections even include speech and expression that some find offensive, hurtful or inconsistent with the university’s values. So, under the First Amendment, UW–Stevens Point, as a public university, can’t prohibit, limit, or punish speech or expression based on the viewpoint it conveys. 

UW–Stevens Point also can’t restrict speech based on content unless the university demonstrates a compelling governmental interest and only restricts speech as necessary to achieve that interest. If this sounds like a difficult standard to meet, it is. The U.S. Supreme Court intentionally set this bar high to limit the government’s ability to restrict speech because of what it stands for. 

Yes, the university can legally place some content-neutral limitations on speech, so long as they are reasonable. “Time, place, and manner restrictions” help to ensure health, safety, and welfare and to prevent disruption of university functions, including but not limited to classrooms, research labs, offices, museums, libraries, and pedestrian or vehicle traffic. 

  • Time restrictions are those that restrict speech or expression to certain times of day. For example, a policy prohibiting speech near campus residence halls between the hours of 10PM and 7AM is a content-neutral time restriction. 
  • Place restrictions limit the physical or digital spaces in which speech or expression can occur. For example, a policy prohibiting individuals from engaging in demonstrations or protests in classrooms is a content-neutral place restriction. 
  • Manner restrictions limit the way – or the method by which – speech or expression can be conveyed. For example, a policy prohibiting the use of sound amplifying equipment by those speaking near academic buildings is a content-neutral manner restriction. 

The First Amendment permits more leeway for the government to limit speech in these content-neutral ways because the restrictions are independent of the government’s like or dislike of the message. For that reason, content-neutral restrictions are not as likely to be used to suppress speech the government dislikes. 

U.S. Supreme Court decisions about the First Amendment divide public physical spaces into three types of public forums with differing levels of protection for speech. These categories are: 

  • Traditional Public Forum – A traditional public forum is a place where people traditionally express their views. This is a place that has a long-standing tradition of being used for, is historically associated with, or has been dedicated by government act to the free exercise of the right to speech and public debate and assembly. Traditional public forums include streets, parks, and sidewalks.  In these places, anyone can engage in expressive activity subject to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, and as long as the conduct is lawful, and does not impede access to a facility or use of walkways, interfere with vehicle traffic, or disrupt the functioning of the institution. In these places, the government, or in our case, the university, may not prohibit speakers based on their viewpoints, even if their words potentially offend many students, faculty and staff or contradict the university’s values.  Note that classrooms are not a traditional public forum. 
  • Designated Public Forum – Designated public forums are spaces that the government, by voluntary action, has opened for speech and debate. It’s open to any class or type of speech. The university may impose reasonable, content-neutral, restrictions on the time, place, and manner of speech in designated public forums. Examples include the front lawn of Old Main, the fields in front of DeBot Dining, and dedicated campus rooms that can be reserved for speaker events. 
  • Limited Public or Non-Public Forum – A limited or nonpublic forum is a place where individuals normally do not go to protest, assemble, and express their views. It’s government-controlled property set aside for a specific purpose in which it may limit the class of speakers and or subject matter allowed for discussion. The university can impose reasonable restrictions on expression in a non-public forum including preventing individuals from interrupting or occupying those spaces to express their views. Examples include a lab or administrative office, as well as classrooms. 

  

It depends. In those outdoor spaces considered traditional public forums, the answer is ‘yes’ (subject to time/place/manner restrictions).  Otherwise, the First Amendment does not require that UW–Stevens Point provide a platform to anyone who wants to speak. 

However, the university has opened other campus spaces as designated public forums for certain expressive activity. Different campus groups – from recognized student organizations to departments and schools to administrative units – may elect who they want to bring to speak on campus subject to the university’s policies regarding use of campus facilities and speaker invitations. 

UW–Stevens Point can (and does) have rules about the policies and processes that must be followed to invite a speaker to campus.  However, UW–Stevens Point cannot choose to prohibit or allow invited speakers based on their viewpoints or the content of their messages – as a matter of law, we must be content neutral in our policies about speech. When UW–Stevens Point provides a platform, the First Amendment prevents UW–Stevens Point from selectively preventing speech or expression because it conveys a controversial opinion or a viewpoint that some, or even most, on campus disagree with or find offensive. 

Likewise, UW–Stevens Point does not regulate the content of a speaker’s speech. Because we are and must be viewpoint neutral in our policies about speech, the fact that someone is speaking on campus in no way constitutes institutional endorsement or approval of their message. 

  

Yes.  There are several categories of speech that are not protected, but they are very limited and carefully defined. 

The categories of speech that are not protected by the First Amendment include: 

  • Defamation – a written (libel) or spoken (slander) statement that injures a third party’s reputation 
  • Obscenity and child pornography – obscenity is narrow category of pornography that violates contemporary community standards and has no serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value – it’s acceptable for state and federal criminal laws to prohibit obscenity and child pornography 
  • “True threats” – specific threats directed to person or group with intent to place them in fear of bodily harm or death 
  • Incitement to immediately break the law 
  • Fighting Words – intimidating speech directed at a specific individual in a face-to-face confrontation that is likely to provoke a violent reaction 
  • Harassment as defined by law and university policy 
  • Non-expressive conduct such as disruption of university functions, property damage, trespassing or blocking entrances to buildings 
  • Intellectual property violations 
  • Speech that may constitute a crime such as fraud and conspiracy 

In the First Amendment context, these words have very specific legal meanings. In a number of cases, the legal definition of these words may be stricter than the everyday meaning most people give these words. Whether speech or expression is unprotected requires case-by-case legal assessment. The important key point is to recognize that overwhelming majority of speech and expression is considered constitutionally protected and will not meet the standard of unprotected speech. 

For the most part, yes. A great deal of what is commonly termed ‘hate speech’ is in fact protected speech under the First Amendment. One way to understand this issue is to recognize that the First Amendment gives everyone both the right to offend and the right to be offended, without risking government intervention. This even includes the right to say things that are bigoted, hateful, loathsome, offensive, hurtful, or inconsistent with the university’s values so long as they do not cross the line into unprotected categories of speech such as defamation, direct threats of specific violence or harm, or become so pervasive and severe that they meet legal definitions of discrimination or harassment. 

Of course, the right to do something does not at all make it a good idea to do so. We as a university respect the First Amendment.  At the same time, we also very much hope that the members of our community will elect to treat each other with civility and respect. 

It is also important to note that the First Amendment also protects citizens’ rights to respond to any speech, including hate speech, with counter-speech. Offensive ideas can be counteracted responding with counterargument and with putting forward ideas that you value and cherish. This allows for the exchange of ideas and creates an opportunity to articulate your values and beliefs and to change perspectives and minds. 

Yes. Under federal and state law, UW–Stevens Point may prohibit words and actions that meet the legal definition of discrimination. That includes harassment on the basis of sex, race, national origin or shared ancestry, including discrimination and harassment based on actual or perceived shared ancestry such as Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim, or Arab. For a more detailed information about UW-Stevens Point’s obligations under Title VI, Title IX, and other civil rights laws, see the Universities of Wisconsin Office of Compliance and Integrity. In general, discriminatory harassment must be sufficiently “severe and pervasive”, which means that frequent and sustained conduct is more likely to constitute harassment than a singular instance of unwelcome speech.  

As explained by the United States Department of Education, discriminatory harassment “must include something beyond the mere expression of views, words, symbols or thoughts that some person finds offensive.” 

While UW–Stevens Point is permitted to regulate discriminatory harassment, speech that does not rise to this level is protected by the First Amendment. Federal and State law only permit regulating discriminatory conduct in a manner that also protects the free speech rights of other students and faculty. 

Faculty/instructors maintain broad and important First Amendment protection when engaged in core academic functions such as teaching and scholarly activities. They also retain broad academic freedom, a distinct but related concept as described below. 

Administrators and other university employees do have some legal limits on their free speech rights. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that statements made by public employees pursuant to their official duties are not protected by the First Amendment nor from employer discipline. All UW–Stevens Point employees retain First Amendment protection when speaking as private citizens, so long as they do not state, imply, or insinuate that they are speaking on behalf of UW–Stevens Point. 

Academic freedom and freedom of speech under the First Amendment are related but distinct legal concepts. The First Amendment protects individual rights of expression on any number of topics and in a variety of settings.  Academic freedom refers to the ability of instructors, students, and educational institutions to pursue knowledge in the context of teaching, learning, and research without unreasonable political or government interference. 

UW–Stevens Point instructors are entitled to academic freedom. This means that they have broad discretion to conduct research and publish results. It also means that instructors have broad discretion in the classroom when discussing the subject of the course they are teaching. 

Instructors are allowed to impose content-neutral restrictions on the time, place, and manner in which students may engage in discussion in the classroom. Instructors may also limit the subject matter that may be discussed in a course. This means instructors are permitted to dictate the time and length of a classroom discussion, as well as its general subject matter.  They can also choose to lecture without permitting interruption, or to permit questions, or encourage discussion. 

During an instructor’s designated period for classroom discussion, students may express opinions on the subject matter of the class even when some, or many, disagree with those opinions. Instructors maintain discretion to assess the academic quality of student comments and to control the parameters of the discussion. In addition, students may not engage in speech or expressive conduct that disrupts the class or other University functions. 

UW–Stevens Point places content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions on speech and expression, on its lands, in its buildings, and in its public spaces such as the Old Main front lawn or the fields in front of the DeBot Dining Center. These restrictions are outlined in UWS Ch. 18, as well as UW-Stevens Point Expressive Activity Guidelines. (link) These spaces are limited public forums, as described above. 

No. UW–Stevens Point cannot prohibit, restrict, or punish speech in its public spaces based on the viewpoint it expresses. This means that UW–Stevens Point cannot remove or arrest speakers unless they have violated the law or campus policy. This is true even if the speaker is saying things that many find hurtful or offensive. 

Yes. Like many college campuses, UW–Stevens Point permits chalking as expressive activity on its sidewalks and streets. It would be constitutionally permissible to prohibit chalking altogether, as some universities do (as a “manner” restriction on speech).  But if we permit chalking, we cannot restrict chalking based on its viewpoint. UW–Stevens Point imposes content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions on chalking that may be found in the UW-Stevens Point Expressive Activity Guidelines. (link) 

You may chalk additional messaging next to the original message but only the organization that created the chalking may erase it unless it violates university policy.  If UW–Stevens Point becomes aware of a chalking that violates the university’s UW-Stevens Point Expressive Activity Guidelines (link), UW–Stevens Point staff will remove it. 

All speakers invited to campus through the appropriate campus policies and procedures receive the same First Amendment protections as all other members of the University community. This means that UW–Stevens Point can’t cancel an event or prohibit a speaker because some disagree with the speaker’s opinions and/or find them offensive or hurtful. 

No. If a speaker has been invited by a recognized student organizations or other UW–Stevens Point unit in accordance with appropriate policies, the university cannot prevent or cancel that event because the speaker has viewpoints some, or many, find offensive. 

We reiterate that hosting a speaker does not imply that UW–Stevens Point endorses that speaker’s views or opinions. UW–Stevens Point has a robust and lengthy history of allowing its recognized student organizations to bring speakers to campus each semester who discuss a variety of topics, viewpoints, and opinions. This is an important part of UW–Stevens Point’s educational mission and contributes to free inquiry, open dialogue, and robust debate on campus. 

Yes. The First Amendment protects the rights of citizens to peacefully assemble in protest of speech they find offense. Often, the best response to offensive speech is counter-speech. 

However, demonstrations and/or protests cannot disrupt, interfere with, or shutdown a speaker’s presentation. Doing so is a violation of Board of Regents policy. Please consult the UW-Stevens Point Expressive Activity Guidelines (link) for more information. 

UW–Stevens Point places content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions on companies’ and/or organizations abilities to participate in job fairs held in campus facilities. 

Because UW–Stevens Point provides otherwise open opportunities for companies and organizations to participate in job fairs on campus, it can’t prevent company or organization from participating because of the views or opinions of that group, even if its community find those views or opinions offensive or hurtful.   However, all companies and organizations that participate in job fairs must comply with our non-discrimination and other policies, as well as all applicable laws. 

Academic freedom and free speech within the UW System 

The concepts of academic freedom and support for freedom of expression have a long history within the University of Wisconsin System. 

1894 – Statement by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents 

“…Whatever may be the limitations which trammel inquiry elsewhere, we believe that the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage the continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.” 

1922 – Formal amending of University of Wisconsin Board of Regents policies to include 1894 statement 

Specifying that the statement applied “…to teaching in the classroom and to the use of university halls for public addresses, under the control of the president of the University with appeal to the regents.” 

1949 – University of Wisconsin Board of Regents statement 

“…An opportunity critically to study the proposals and claims of systems alien to our own is the intellectual right of every student. And freedom to explore and discuss the issues in the field of his special competence is the right of every teacher…” 

1962 – University Vice President Fred Harrington statement to the Board of Regents 

“…[W]e at Wisconsin have not been afraid to speak out. We of the faculty, and you of the Board of Regents, have be in favor of freedom of speech and academic freedom. In fact, Wisconsin has been one of the leaders of the country in this field. We are abused for this, sometimes, but we have persevered and we have made a national contribution. Other institutions often have been praised for doing things on occasion with reference to free speech that we do routinely. This is an important part of our greatness. I am pleased that members of this Board have felt so and insisted on retention of this tradition…” 

1964 – University of Wisconsin Board of Regents statement 

“…The concept of intellectual freedom is based upon confidence in man’s capacity for growth in comprehending the university and on faith of unshackled intelligence. The University is not partisan to any party or ideology, but it is devoted to the discover of truth and to understanding the world in which we live. The Regents take this opportunity to rededicate themselves to maintaining in this University those conditions which are indispensable for the flowering of the human mind.” 

1985 - Acting President Katherine Lyall statement to the Board of Regents 

“…Disagreement and debate is the stuff of which learning is made. We do not fear it, but it should be done openly and without threat or coercion. Great universities share this common commitment to open expression.” 

1994 – University of Wisconsin Board of Regents statement marking 100th anniversary of 1894 statement 

Calling upon “…all members of our several academic communities – administrators, faculty, staff, and students alike – to guard this precious legacy, to consider differing points of view, and always engage in ‘that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.’” 

2016 – University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Chancellor Bernie Patterson statement on respecting diversity of opinion 

“…At the core of any university is the ability to express ideas, even unpopular ones. This is the foundation of academic freedom, It ensures that free flow of ideas and opinions, even those offensive to some. We value diversity of opinion and freedom of speech. Civil discourse does not bean we all have to agree. Quite the opposite. Civil discourse is the means by which we express diversity of ideas, diversity of thoughts, diversity of perspectives. It is the minimum standard we expect of all.” 

2017 - University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Commitment to Freedom of Expression statement 

“…the Board of Regents and the University of Wisconsin System are committed to honoring freedom of speech and expression as the System reviews existing policies to ensure each of our campuses supports and maintains an environment where civil discussions can occur as students learn, study, and prepare for their futures.” 

2017 – Regent Policy 4-21: Commitment to Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression 

“The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System has a longstanding tradition of support for academic freedom, dating back to 1894 and the famous “sifting and winnowing” statement contained in the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents’ Final Report on the Trial of Richard Ely. The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System hereby reiterates its commitment to the principle of academic freedom and affirms its commitment to the principle of freedom of expression.” 

Sources:
Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Education Committee Agenda and Materials. December 2015
Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Resolution II.3.c.
UW-Stevens Point Chancellor’s Statement, Respecting diversity of opinion
Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, Regent Policy Document 4-21