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Free Speech

What is the Free Speech Education Team

The Free Speech Education Team is available to provide information and consultation to individuals or groups looking to exercise their First Amendment rights for demonstration, protests, or similar activity within Michigan Tech University Demonstrations and Protest procedures. Individuals and groups can request a meeting with team members to discuss how to safely plan and implement their activity.

To request a meeting with members of the Free Speech Education Team, please complete the Free Speech Education Team Request form.

Philosophy

Michigan Tech’s values include community, scholarship, possibilities, accountability, tenacity and leadership. These values should serve to guide decisions and foster learning. Standards of conduct are set forth in both Board of Trustees and University policies and in the Student Code of Community Conduct to assist the University in furthering its mission and values.

Protecting and promoting freedom of speech and expression is not only a fundamental constitutional right, it is the very bedrock of learning and is central to the University experience. It is vital to our University community that members of the community feel free to express their views, regardless of how unpopular those views may be. But while the First Amendment protects the right to express one’s views, it also allows the University to place reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on that expression. The First Amendment does not guarantee the right to say anything, at any time, or in any place, or for speech to be free from consequences. To this end, protests and demonstrations that impede or disrupt the academic mission or research, interfere with the rights of others, or threaten campus/personal safety will prompt a coordinated response to ensure compliance with relevant laws, bylaws, policies, and regulations.

Michigan Tech follows the Chicago Principles.

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