Securing Freedom of Speech on Campus

Glendale College's El Vaquero is one of many college-level student publications in California that would have greater protection from administrative censorship if a bill recently passed by the California Assembly becomes law.

A federal court decision out of the Midwest (Hosty v. Carter) has many editors and faculty advisers of campus newspapers worried that college and university administrators may become more active in censoring student publications.

In California, the state Assembly has fired back, voting 76-0 for a proposed law--AB2581, authored by Assemblyman Leland Yee--that would ensure free speech and free press rights on California State University, University of California, and California Community College campuses. The proposal is now in the state Senate, where it is expected to win passage. the bill would then be sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has not taken a position on the issue.

MC101s generally endorsed the need for a free and open campus media, although several students in one of my classes questioned the need for student newspapers. The majority, however, felt that student newspapers were valuable sources of information and opinion, in addition to being a training ground for aspiring journalists.