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<div class="entry-header gmail-media-none"><h1 class="entry-title">Free Speech Rating Sets High Standard for University Policy</h1> <div class="entry-meta gmail-bottom">
<span class="gmail-meta-author"><span class="el-left">By</span> <a href="http://emorywheel.com/author/the-editorial-board/" rel="author" class="gmail-vcard gmail-author el-right"><span class="gmail-fn">The Editorial Board</span></a></span> <time class="gmail-meta-date gmail-updated" datetime="2018-01-25T19:44:53+00:00">Jan 25, 2018</time> </div>
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<div class="entry-content-text"><p><span style="font-weight:400">The
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has awarded Emory
University its highest rating for free speech on campus, making Emory
the first university in Georgia to achieve the “green light” rating.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">Sasha Volokh, the chair of the
University’s Open Expression Committee and an associate professor of law
at Emory, worked with FIRE to bring Emory’s policies in line with the
Foundation’s standards. Many of the changes involved modifying language
and improving the definitions of infractions so that violations of
Emory’s policies cannot be construed in a overly broad manner. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">A noteworthy example of a change involves Emory’s Information Technology (IT) Usage </span><a href="http://policies.emory.edu/5.1"><span style="font-weight:400">Policy</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">. The policy </span><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160102001741/http://policies.emory.edu/5.1"><span style="font-weight:400">previously</span></a><span style="font-weight:400">
prohibited personal use of University IT resources for supporting
political candidates or campaigns or in any manner which “reflected
poorly on” Emory, which would have included the use of EmoryUnplugged
wifi on a private computer for either of the aforementioned purposes.
That language has since been excised. For more details on these changes,
reference the Wheel’s news coverage <a href="http://emorywheel.com/emory-earns-green-light-open-expression/">here</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">We wholeheartedly agree with these changes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">It is important to take a moment to
recognize the achievement of Volokh and the Open Expression Committee
and the goodwill demonstrated by University President Claire E. Sterk
and other Emory administrators. Emory joins a list of only </span><a href="https://www.thefire.org/spotlight/?y=&speech_code=Green&institution_type=&type=advanced&submit=Search"><span style="font-weight:400">37 schools</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> nationwide which have received a green light rating for their speech codes.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">However, it is equally important to take note of progress that is yet to come. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">In addition to tracking University
speech codes, FIRE also maintains a list of due process procedures at
top academic institutions. Emory adjudicates a wide range of student
misconduct and is capable of levying punishments which can have enormous
effects on the opportunities of students after graduation. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">It is appropriate for Emory to have
this power and is of vital importance to our community that students who
violate policies regarding academic integrity, student safety and
interpersonal conduct meet proper consequences. Still, it is troubling
that Emory’s policies regarding the rights of the accused received a </span><a href="https://www.thefire.org/schools/emory-university/"><span style="font-weight:400">D rating</span></a><span style="font-weight:400"> from FIRE. Out of 10 criteria evaluated, Emory was judged satisfactory on only the meaningful right to appeal. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight:400">We commend the University for its
ongoing commitment to the free exchange of ideas, and fully expect that
Emory will continue its efforts and work to improve all University
policy.</span></p>
<p><em>The above Editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Wheel’s editorial board.</em></p>
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<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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