At the University of North Carolina, it’s now safe (again) for employees to hold golf outings and compliment their coworkers’ platform wedges.
UNC has removed “guidelines” for avoiding micro-aggression incidents on campus that included both of those behaviors. According to a statement released in the wake of concern over its free speech policies, UNC says the information, which was posted by a school employee in a forum intended for faculty and staff to share information and discuss potential policy changes, does not reflect the school’s official policy on handling questions of campus speech.
The Employee Forum, a group of 52 delegates elected from UNC’s staff, does have an official purpose at UNC, and that is to “develop[] recommendations and advocate[] those recommendations to the administration.” In this case, the Forum was researching and compiling information on micro-aggression in response to a question from a UNC staff member—but it’s probably unlikely, given the school’s response, that much of the speech rules in the post will be enacted.
UNC’s representatives were also clear on how much they value free speech, citing a report from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education that gave UNC a “green light” rating for freedom in campus expression. They note that they plan on continuing to live up to that standard.
This is a positive development for campus free speech, and the latest in a line of small victories for free speech advocates. In addition to UNC’s commitment, the University of Minnesota faculty “advanced a series of strong recommendations” for speech on campus there, and the University of Arizona is now tackling how to balance safety and comfort with Constitutional rights with a free speech symposium featuring luminaries from law and education.