In the struggle for free speech on American campuses, there have been a few recent wins.

The Torch reports on a fresh victory, which has just occurred at Ohio University and is in time for the November election:

Ohio University dorms are no longer censoring students’ political speech, freeing students to make their voices heard in the final weeks before Election Day. After student Jillyann Burns was ordered to remove a flyer criticizing both President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney from her residence hall door, she turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help.

FIRE’s report provides some background:

In early September 2012, Burns, a member of the student group Ohio University Students for Liberty, taped a flyer to her residence hall door in James Hall, criticizing Obama and Romney and suggesting that the two would govern similarly on a range of political issues. On September 6, a resident advisor informed students via email that “NO political posters/flyers should be hung in the hallways or on you[r] door until 14 days before an election.”

Following a room inspection by Residential Coordinator Micah McCarey on September 17, Burns received an inspection form listing OU’s requirement that “political posters not [be] displayed outside room until within 14 days of election date” as a “Corrective Action.” OU’s residence hall policies state that this 14-day window was dictated by OU’s “political campaign policy,” though neither FIRE nor Burns could find any such policy in existence. The inspection form also noted that failure to remove the poster within 48 hours could result in referral to OU’s disciplinary system. Burns responded by taping a sheet of paper with the message “Censored until further notice” over the flyer.

FIRE wrote to OU President Roderick McDavis on September 28, reminding OU of its binding legal obligation as a public university to respect student First Amendment rights. FIRE’s letter pointed out that doors in OU residence halls are commonly used as venues for individual student expression, and that protected expression may not be prohibited merely because of its political content. FIRE emphasized that OU’s censorship was of particular concern given the proximity to Election Day, when unfettered political discourse is of crucial importance.

OU subsequently addressed FIRE’s concerns, after which Burns received an email informing her that she was free to post political materials on her door and that OU “will work to clarify posting policies immediately.”