University Of Wyoming Promises Freedom Of Speech

Universities and colleges across America claim that they are bastions of free expression.

Yet actual free expression has become a problem when students of a more conservative or libertarian point of view voice their opinions.

The University Of Wyoming wants its students, and everyone else, to know that they will allow true freedom of expression on campus.

UW has released a report defining freedom of expression on their Wyoming campus.

In the report were what they hope are recommendations and clear statements of principles, institutional neutrality, and academic freedom.

Martha McCaughey, a visiting researcher and co-chair of the University of Wyoming's Freedom of Expression Working Group, hopes this will make UW a national leader in true freedom of expression.

This report is an 18-page document with recommendations they hope will safeguard and ensure freedom of expression for everyone on campus, both students and staff.

The group’s recommendations ask UW for institutional neutrality, intellectual freedom, academic freedom, freedom of expression, and civil discourse.

“Central to this mission [of the state’s flagship university] is the University’s nonpartisan and nonsectarian commitment to learning and creating knowledge with academic freedom and integrity, a respect for intellectual freedom and legal rights of equality and free expression, and the open, civil, and constructive exchange of ideas,” (REPORT).

UW President Ed Seidel has expressed concerns about climate and polarization at universities and colleges across the country.

In a statement, Mr. Seidel said,

“the role of the university teacher is not to indoctrinate.” (Wyoming Truth).

Other recommendations addressed the handling of conflicts using the “Wyoming Way” to enhance the practice of civil discourse.

“We don’t just make the principles a set of things we say we believe in, but we look to where we would be acting on those principles when the rubber hits the road,” said co-chair Martha McCaughey, visiting researcher in the Criminal Justice and Sociology department. “That’s also the case for developing a culture that practices these principles.” (Wyoming Truth).

The university wants everyone to know that freedom of expression is essential to higher education.