Category: free speech

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F.I.R.E. returns to Cal Poly

Greg Lukianoff, President of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education CLICK on the picture to visit FIRE!

Cal Poly has had a long history with FIRE. Some even say if Cal Poly hadn’t decided to dig in their heals on a case of a student posting a flier for an approved speaker… FIRE may have not developed such early traction on the protection of free speech in American colleges and universities. There is no doubt they are on a roll!

FIRE continues to evaluate every university on the basis of first amendment, including  issues of how protected free speech is handled on campus. FIRE designates a simple Red-Yellow and Green light to each university to signify the university’s support of the first amendment. There is a simple scale: Green is good and Red represents a very unfavorable climate for students in the area of speech. There are many great stories of authoritarian administrations and their virtual chamber of horrors. Nonetheless,  Universities are not without humor, some going so far as banning the consumption and/or flagellation of a banana publicly in a sexual way. Unfortunately, other Universities have been far more draconian,  some forcing students out of their dorms … with at least one living in their car during a cold and snowy winter … all over issues that were constitutionally protected. It goes without saying that the universities involved didn’t win these issues and paid off with the hard earned money of the taxpayer.

On college campuses, it is never the administration or the majority that needs protection, it is always the minority voice. Cal Poly has come a long way from it’s RED light days and currently sits at a YELLOW light. There is hope on campus that with a new president and a new administration tone, that maybe, Cal Poly will be a GREEN light university.

Greg Lukianoff coming to Cal Poly February 7th is a very good sign.

Roger

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remembering a world without a free press

CLICK on picture to be taken directly to the Drudge Report
CLICK on picture to be taken directly to the Drudge Report

There are many people in various levels of leadership who really don’t believe in a ‘free press’ or ‘freedom of speech’ and I am saddened by this. Let us just say, I have heard enough people say the trite, “the people don’t know what’s good for them” as well as the ” I can’t believe Reagan won (80%), because everyone I knew voted for McGovern! (McGovern won only his home state of Minnesota)” to wonder why they really aren’t listening to the rest of us?  The unfortunate truth is that we are always one heartbeat from losing our objectivity. When we (and they) listen, we all benefit.

There was a time before Matt Drudge,  Fox News, the Huffington Post and nationally syndicated alternative radio talk show hosts where the news was  interpreted for us by a few national media outlets and locally by newspapers. Interestingly enough, media folks in those days referred to themselves as ‘moderates’, which amused most everyone. In the ‘old days’, it was almost impossible to have your voice heard, even on the local level. It was an almost impossible task to even stand toe-to-toe with a local newspaper editor… as has been often quoted: “Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton.” This has all changed for the better with the internet. Today, scandals that would have been swept under the rug get to see the light of day. Stories unpopular with powerful entities get a chance to be played. Common sense rules the marketplace of ideas…. but there are those who do not like this at all.

So, I am reminded that without a true freedom of the press and free speech, none of our other ‘rights’ mean much.

Thank you to all those who present another point of view regardless of that part of the political spectrum you sit…. even on the  local level.

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free speech not likely coming to Cal Poly

Cal Poly never changes
"Gosh, it's very hard to put the genie back into the bottle!"

Cal Poly State University is about to select a new President and there are three candidates. (for reference, here’s what  Lou Dobbs of CNN said about the last president)

Actually, the truth is in the details, a select committee from a variety of interests outside of the purview of much of the university and the community did the selection and whittled the short list down to three people of which little is publicly known of them. Searching the candidates for on-line information gives little insight.

However, one of the issues that has plagued the university warranting national attention has been it’s treatment of students. In my opinion, Free speech and other first amendment violations are among the most egregious.

Baring any clarifying statements of the candidates, it might be safe to look at the F.I.R.E. rankings ( Foundation for Individual Rights in Education) of the universities whence the candidates come. This might not be an accurate reflection of any of the candidatel’s personal attitudes, but it does give an insight into their campus climate.

Here are the three universities and their rankings and links to their stories:

University of Cincinnati — RED LIGHT

Wright State — RED LIGHT

Boise State — unranked but with comments

At a minimum, I think these three candidates need a few more questions about what kind of climate they intend to foster for the students and faculty at Cal Poly. However, it sounds to me like 30 years of more of the same.

PS. if you are curious about the picture above, click on the picture and read about some of the past controversies

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admitting there is a right and wrong answer

Sam Harris advocates that the difference between science and moral values is an illusion. He believes that the first step in answering important questions on the human condition starts with a recognition that there are right and wrong answers. Hearing a speech normally put forward by religious leaders was refreshing coming from the scientific perspective.

Sam Harris’s central theme — to me — was challenging the audience to consider whether or not we know so little about the human condition that we have to accept without question the cultural values of other societies.

A very thought provoking 20 minute worthwhile presentation.

Roger Freberg

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no transparency at cal poly and inclusive excellence

cal poly ombuds program?
what are you hiding Cal Poly?

I really love inexperienced managers because they feel that any problem can be solved either of two ways: 1) hide, evade or just say it isn’t so (even if everyone knows what is going on) or 2) use a bigger stick to try to make it go away. By the way, managerial experience isn’t measure by years of service, it is measured by outcomes and the loyalty and respect of all stakeholders.

Yesterday, I pointed out a letter by two of the many many vice presidents of Cal Poly that appeared in the hard copy but not the on-line copy of the newspaper. Today, a related front-page article appeared in the “Virtual Mustang,” but not in the regular online format that allows comments.  If an article is important enough to be on page one, shouldn’t it be presented in a form that allows the community to post responses?

As for the substance, I have placed both pages of today’s article on-line for your review.  See if it doesn’t raise a few questions in your mind.

Page 1 of Mustang Daily’s ‘Ombuds services article’ (Don’t call it ombudsman as that’s not ‘PC’)

Page 2

I have a couple of questions:

1) In the article, Ombuds Patricia Ponce’s role is described as “working with students before referring the issue to another department or individual.”  The example of a student admitting to slashing another student’s tires was used to illustrate a matter that would be referred. But what else is going to be “referred?” Offensive speech? “Sexually suggestive fruit eating” (actually banished by another university)? Putting up a flyer other students don’t like (which was  Steve Hinkle’s “crime”)? What possible punishments await the person whose actions are “referred?”

2) Even though referrals will be made, the article states that “no individual records” or “paper trail” would be kept. How then, would an accused person protect himself/herself when David Conn goes looking for an applicable “free speech or campus policy?” Don’t we have a basic right to confront our accusers? It seems like the Cal Poly Ombuds program is combining confidentiality and accusations in a dangerous way.

FIRE has repeatedly informed the campus that the way to move their current yellow light rating to a green is to explicitly state that students will not be punished for protected speech, even if it is uncivil and offensive. Having an ombuds is fine, as long as the focus is on helping the offended student deal with his/her feelings, but Cal Poly will once again find itself in court if it tries to punish the offenders.

try a little harder, Chip.

Roger Freberg