The Anti-Discrimination Policy includes the following provision:
- These prohibitions are not intended to abridge University community members’ right of free expression or other civil rights.
It is important to remember that just because the expression of an idea or point of view may be offensive or inflammatory to some, it is not necessarily a violation of the ADP. MSU values freedom of expression and the open exchange of ideas and, in particular, the expression of controversial ideas and differing views that is a vital part of the University discourse. Following is a statement from President Simon discussing the interplay between harassment (disruption) and protected speech (dissent) and providing a collection of university rules and regulations on the topic.
President Simon’s Statement on Free Speech Rights and Responsibilities
A Summary of MSU Policies and Regulations
President Simon issued a statement on free speech rights and responsibilities informing the campus community that fundamental to Michigan State University’s philosophy on campus dissent is a belief that the rights guaranteed in the First and Fourteenth amendments of the Constitution must be protected. The University has worked for decades to establish a community consensus on the scope of intellectually productive and constitutionally protected dissent, and to distinguish it from impermissible disruption. That consensus is now embodied in several documents, which have received student, faculty, and administrative review and approval. Although some of the passages set forth below were developed to delineate student rights and responsibilities, the principles enunciated are generally applicable to members of the University community. Read more