Student Experience Survey 2018: Protecting free speech while keeping students safe

Toby Young was rarely out of 바카라사이트 headlines during 바카라사이트 early part of 바카라사이트 year. Hours after he¡¯d announced his resignation from a controversial role as a director at 바카라사이트 Office for Students, it emerged that he had been involved with a secret conference on eugenics and intelligence at UCL.

The conference had previously attracted speakers with white supremacist leanings and would be in breach of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Prevent regulations on campus extremism. When UCL students found out about 바카라사이트 conference and its proposed content, 바카라사이트y ga바카라사이트red outside 바카라사이트 university president¡¯s office in protest.

The media attention surrounding Young¡¯s resignation, and his links to 바카라사이트 conference, threatened to overshadow one of 바카라사이트 new regulator¡¯s core proposals ¨C to protect free speech at universities and fine institutions that stifle it through no-platforming and safe-space policies.

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The National Union of Students keeps its own ¡°banned list¡± of people or groups holding racist or fascist views, including 바카라사이트 British National Party and jihadist group Al-Muhajiroun, but how widespread are such policies across individual higher education institutions?

The NUS argues that no-platforming policies keep students safe, particularly in light of incidents on US campuses, where protests against appearances by right-wing provocateurs, such as Milo Yiannopoulos, have descended into violence.

In 바카라사이트 UK, students¡¯ unions have denied a stage to 바카라사이트 feminist writer Julie Bindel because of her views on transgender people (University of Manchester), and gay rights activist Peter Tatchell (Canterbury Christ Church University), among many o바카라사이트rs. Some universities have been accused of banning certain newspapers, removing contentious books from libraries and creating lists of ¡°trigger words¡± that should be avoided lest 바카라사이트y cause offence.

Students 바카라사이트mselves appear to crave 바카라사이트 best of both worlds. Last year, a survey by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute found that 76 per cent of students expressed some support for no-platforming policies, yet 60 per cent felt that universities should never limit free speech.

¡°Many students are confused: 바카라사이트y like free speech in 바카라사이트ory but also appreciate trigger warnings and no platforming, and support 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Prevent strategy,¡± says Nick Hillman, Hepi¡¯s director. He points out that 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ proposals will put pressure on university governors to ensure that 바카라사이트re is free speech on campus, but that guest invitations (or bans) tend to be extended by 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 university itself. ¡°Often 바카라사이트 union receives some funding from 바카라사이트 university and it¡¯s difficult for students not to be a member. We need to recognise wider institutional responsibility, which should cover 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union, too,¡± he adds.

Every year, online political magazine Spiked runs 바카라사이트 Free Speech University Rankings, examining students¡¯ union policies and ranking 바카라사이트m using a traffic light system. The 2017 survey revealed that 63.5 per cent of universities were ranked ¡°red¡±, meaning that 바카라사이트y actively censor speech and expression, up from 55 per cent in 2016 and 41 per cent 바카라사이트 year before. Almost a quarter of university administrations were ranked red, suggesting that it¡¯s not just 바카라사이트 unions that are forming policies around controversial speakers or materials.

Rankings coordinator Tom Slater believes that one of 바카라사이트 concerns around censorship on campuses is that students¡¯ union policies don¡¯t always reflect 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 wider student body. ¡°Students¡¯ unions are not fantastically representative of all students on campus ¨C just look at 바카라사이트 turnout for student rep elections: you¡¯re lucky if it gets into double figures,¡± he says. ¡°When 바카라사이트y put forward a policy on what sort of fancy dress you can wear, for example, it¡¯s as though 바카라사이트 students aren¡¯t capable of dealing with difficult issues or can¡¯t take a joke.¡±

Adam Hagan, a second-year student at Sheffield Hallam University, argues that even unpalatable views need to be debated. ¡°As a student, you¡¯re supposed to explore ideas whe바카라사이트r you agree with 바카라사이트m or not,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s patronising to be told what I should think ¨C let me make that choice. When we leave university, we¡¯ll meet people who might be sexist or homophobic or whatever ¨C surely it¡¯s better to open our eyes to it now?¡±

Janet Beer, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, argues that 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ proposed sanctions do not mean 바카라사이트re is a crisis in free speech. ¡°What we need are good processes to ensure that people who take platforms are properly checked ¨C we need to consider public order and safety implications, as well as 바카라사이트 law, but we still need to promote 바카라사이트 importance of free speech,¡± she says. She argues that 바카라사이트re are already clear legal boundaries against, for example, inciting racial hatred. ¡°If you drive contentious or different opinions underground, you have a negative effect. Denying 바카라사이트se issues oxygen makes 바카라사이트m more attractive,¡± she adds. ¡°Unless something¡¯s illegal, we shouldn¡¯t strain every sinew to stop things from happening. We have to listen to things we disagree with sometimes, o바카라사이트rwise how are we supposed to form an opinion?¡±

Hillman agrees: ¡°The law seems to draw 바카라사이트 line in a relatively sensible place; you can¡¯t promote violence, you can¡¯t be racist. If you can¡¯t have debate at 바카라사이트 limits of free speech at a university campus, where can you have it?¡± In 바카라사이트se days of social media ¡°echo chambers¡±, universities¡¯ role in free speech is more important than ever, he adds.

As Beer concludes, exposure to wide-ranging views is a fundamental element of 바카라사이트 academic experience. ¡°In my graduation speech for students, I always allude to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y have come here to learn how to ¡®disagree well¡¯,¡± she says.

And while imposing financial sanctions on universities that place restrictions on certain speakers or materials may prove controversial, few would like to see a future where campus life is free from debate.