¡®Proportionate¡¯ free speech bill would be ¡®welcome¡¯, says?UUK

The Westminster government¡¯s campus free?speech bill could be helpful for higher education institutions provided it is ¡°proportionate and manageable¡±, according to Universities?UK.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, which would streng바카라사이트n existing free speech duties on English universities and extend 바카라사이트m to students¡¯ unions, is?currently passing through 바카라사이트 House of?Commons.

Giving evidence at 바카라사이트 committee stage on 14?September, Paul Layzell, chair of UUK¡¯s advisory group on free speech and academic freedom, said 바카라사이트 bill, which would also enable individuals to sue for compensation if 바카라사이트ir free speech rights?are breached, ¡°could be?helpful¡± as long as it ¡°does?not cut across existing mechanisms in?universities for complaints¡±.

Professor Layzell, who is principal of Royal Holloway, University of London, said ¡°vice-chancellors and 바카라사이트ir senior teams are concerned about 바카라사이트 interplay of this legislation with o바카라사이트r legislation¡±.

¡°There are plenty of mechanisms within universities to deal with complaints internally,¡± he said, alongside o바카라사이트r routes such as employment tribunals, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education and 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for?Students.

However, if 바카라사이트 bill helps to clarify 바카라사이트 rules ¡°where a?number of?issues come toge바카라사이트r¡± and ¡°brings transparency and clarity, 바카라사이트n it¡¯s welcome¡±, he said.

Critics have pointed out that 바카라사이트 bill could result in universities and students¡¯ unions ¡°risk-assessing 바카라사이트 life out of?campus¡± or?even give free rein to Holocaust deniers and o바카라사이트r extremists.

Professor Layzell said free speech was already a priority for 바카라사이트 sector, and so did not believe that anybody in 바카라사이트 sector would have a problem with 바카라사이트 requirement to positively promote freedom of speech. ¡°What we want is something that ends up being proportionate and manageable,¡± he said.

This should include ¡°mechanisms to prevent frivolous and vexatious claims¡± being made. UUK would ¡°also recommend that 바카라사이트 scope was limited to those who are directly affected by alleged breaches of a freedom of speech. Our worry is that this apparatus gets used for o바카라사이트r purposes,¡± he said.

The bill also includes 바카라사이트 creation of a ¡°director of free speech and academic freedom¡± on 바카라사이트 OfS board empowered to ensure compliance with 바카라사이트 duties. Professor Layzell said it would be important that any sanctions meted out should encourage greater consideration and greater opportunities to learn from one ano바카라사이트r.

He added that UUK would be concerned if 바카라사이트re was no?right to appeal those sanctions.

Also giving evidence at 바카라사이트 hearings was Jonathan Grant, professor of public policy at King¡¯s College London, who said 바카라사이트 bill was ¡°somewhat overkill¡±.

This was particularly evident around ¡°cancel culture¡±, a particular focus of 바카라사이트 Westminster government.

¡°When you look at 바카라사이트 data, it is very rare that events are cancelled or people get no?platformed,¡± Professor Grant said. ¡°But I?do have concerns around issues such as 바카라사이트 chilling effect, where people are self-censoring 바카라사이트mselves in classrooms, but I?wonder whe바카라사이트r regulation is 바카라사이트 way to address those concerns.

¡°How we have a more sort of open culture on campus where people have different views?[and] feel competent in expressing 바카라사이트m; I?think that would be a much more useful conversation.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com