Policy on Speech, Expression and Civil Discourse

All members of the SLU community—students, faculty and staff—and their invited guests are subject to the requirements of the Policy.

The responsibility is shared between the sponsoring individual or organization and the University. The sponsor is expected to consider the Statement and the Policy in developing proposed events involving either internal or outside speakers or performers and prepare and submit the documentation required by the Policy and supporting procedures. The University is responsible for assuring that such events are organized and presented in a manner that both promotes civil discourse and protects the safety of members of its community.

The Relevant Official (RO) is the University administrator responsible and accountable for the administration of the Policy in a specific area. For example: the Vice President for Student Development is the RO in the case of student sponsored events and the Provost) is the RO for faculty sponsored events. The RO responsibility may be delegated at the discretion of the designated RO.

A member of the administration may be named as Designated University Official (DUO) for a specific event, particularly if the event is one with potential for conflict or disruption. The DUO is responsible for assuring the event proceeds in a manner consistent with the Policy that supports the speaker’s or performer’s right to be heard and the audience’s right to see and hear the speech or performance.

Event sponsors and designated University officials have a joint responsibility for assessing whether a proposed speaker or performer is likely to be considered offensive or harmful by individuals or groups within the SLU community.

Although a denial is expected to be a rare occurrence, the University has a primary responsibility to ensure the safety of community members participating in, or attending, events on campus, and when an event is deemed inconsistent with that responsibility, approval may be withheld.

Such denials will be based on careful consideration of the event’s potential to incite violence against any group, to threaten imminently the safety of any of its members, or to promote the violation of law, or are deemed likely to constitute a clear, present and significant risk to the orderly implementation of the University’s activities and its obligation to maintain a safe environment for its community and its members.

In instances where an individual or group in the SLU community is likely to be aggrieved by a speaker or performer, it is strongly encouraged that a conversation take place in advance involving University officials, the sponsor, and potentially aggrieved parties to examine and consider potential impacts and concerns. The Policy provides several mechanisms for presentation of alternative views and discourse, as well as opportunity for organized and spontaneous protest of an event.

There are several opportunities for a sponsor to explain the potential contribution of a speech or performance to the primary educational mission of the University, and to accommodate concerns raised by others, in the process of applying for and receiving approval under the Policy. Where these efforts are unsuccessful, and an application is rejected, the Policy provides for an appeal process where the sponsor can seek a review of the decision concerning the event.

The Policy does not apply to speakers invited to address a class as a part of the curriculum; to convocations such as commencement; or to speakers and performers in designated University venues when such venues have been rented to unaffiliated organizations, either for-profit or not-for-profit.

A University Event is one at which attendance is limited to members of the sponsoring group (closed university event) or to the SLU Academic community (open university event).

The Policy applies when an outside speaker or performer is invited to a public event or a University event as defined, or when a member of the University community or a University organization presents a speech or performance outside the classroom or not as a part of the curriculum for an academic course.

In publicizing any event, the sponsor will clearly indicate in all materials and media that “The views expressed by speakers, presenters, or others who participate in this program do not imply approval or endorsement by the sponsoring group or by Saint Louis University.”

In some instances, the University’s senior administration may determine that it is important to offer a perspective in accordance with the University’s Catholic Jesuit identity if the subject matter of a speech, performance or presentation is clearly contrary to moral and social teachings of the Catholic Church.

The requirements for an application and the required forms are accessible on the University’s Civil Discourse, Speech and Expression website (insert url?) Only SLU community members can request approval through this page as SLU Groups requires a SLU log in. 

Protest by members of the University community is a form of expression of free speech that is supported by the University, provided such activities do not violate a speaker or performer’s ability to be heard and an audience’s ability to see and hear a speech or performance. The sponsor and the University administration will assess the potential for protest related to an event and provide appropriate accommodations for such protests. However, it is not required that protests be limited to a specific location, and all publicly accessible spaces on the campus are available for protest, provided that such activities do not violate this or other University policies.

The requirements for an application and the required forms are accessible on the University’s Civil Discourse, Speech and Expression website. Only SLU community members can request approval through this page as SLU Groups requires a SLU login.

The DUO will only intervene in the event when requested by the sponsor’s representative or if the event crosses the threshold to involve a legal or safety concern. The concerns that may require intervention are detailed in the Policy, Section 4.3.  One of the most critical issues faced across all higher education institutions today is freedom of speech and expression. Concern with how to maintain academe’s traditional openness in an increasingly polarized and contentious social environment has been widely discussed in both the academic press and the public media. SLU is committed to freedom of expression, consistent with its Catholic Jesuit heritage and its status as a research university. In support of the commitment, and through the Policy, the University seeks to create an environment for learning that embraces diverse opinions across political and ideological spectrums and encourages civil discourse while assuring that the legitimate concerns of the institution for reverence toward diversity, safety of its community and security of the campus environment are met.

One of the most critical issues faced across all higher education institutions today is freedom of speech and expression. Concern with how to maintain academe’s traditional openness in an increasingly polarized and contentious social environment has been widely discussed in both the academic press and the public media. SLU is committed to freedom of expression, consistent with its Catholic Jesuit heritage and its status as a research university. In support of the commitment, and through the Policy, the University seeks to create an environment for learning that embraces diverse opinions across political and ideological spectrums and encourages civil discourse while assuring that the legitimate concerns of the institution for reverence toward diversity, safety of its community and security of the campus environment are met.

Providing opportunities for free expression is fundamental to its role as an academic institution, and, in particular, as a Catholic Jesuit University dedicated to the pursuit of truth for the greater glory of God and for the service of humanity. The focus of the Policy is on creating an environment for learning that embraces diverse opinions across political and ideological spectrums and encourages civil discourse while assuring that the legitimate concerns of the institution for reverence toward diversity, safety of its community and security of the campus environment are met.

A closed university event is one at which attendance is limited to members of the sponsoring group; an open university event is accessible to the larger SLU Academic community.

The policy applies to outside speakers and performers, and to out-of-class (non-curricular) speakers/performers within SLU community.  It does not apply to the classroom/curriculum, to University convocations or to events presented in University venues when rented by an outside organization.

 In most instances, the Policy anticipates the sponsor of an event will identify such potential as a part of the planning for the event, and work with the University to provide appropriate opportunities for expression of opposing views. 

Protest by members of the University community is a form of expression of free speech that is supported by the University, provided such activities do not violate a speaker or performer’s ability to be heard and an audience’s ability to see and hear a speech or performance. Sponsors and University officials will work together when protests are anticipated to provide a reasonable accommodation for protesters.

Speakers or performers who are invited by faculty into the classroom or as a regular part of the curriculum are exempt from the Policy. 

A sponsor has the right to appeal any decision to reject or restrict a request by submitting a written or electronic document detailing its response to the reasons given for the rejection of restriction and requesting relief. The RO will consult with the Civil Discourse, Speech and Expression Committee (CDSEC) concerning the matters raised by the sponsor, and the RO and CDSEC will make a recommendation concerning disposition of the appeal to the President, who has the final authority to uphold or set aside the original decision. 

The Policy complements but does not address the scope of other policies like the University’s Bias-Related Incident Protocol or the University’s Harassment Policy. If speech and expressive activities during the events covered by this policy give rise to reports of bias, hate, or harassment, then these two policies provide the mechanisms for addressing the allegations.