This ridiculous speech code has earned the monthly prize from The FIRE.

Samantha Harris reports.

Speech Code of the Month: Rogers State University

FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for November 2013: Rogers State University.

The Student Code (PDF) at Oklahoma’s Rogers State University includes a policy on “Campus Expression” that provides, in relevant part:

In order to protect the rights of all concerned individuals, any students or student organizations wanting to hold a peaceful protest must register with the Office of Student Affairs by filling out a “Campus Expression Form” at least three (3) days prior to the event. A meeting will be arranged with the event organizers, Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Campus Police to facilitate the event. Under special circumstances exceptions to the three-day regulation may be granted by the Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students or his/her designee.

Don’t be fooled by the policy’s lofty claim about protecting rights. No one’s rights are threatened by a spontaneous campus protest so long as protesters abide by reasonable rules prohibiting demonstrations from interfering with critical university functions. Indeed, the Campus Expression policy already contains just such rules: Demonstrations may not cause “interference with ingress or egress at University facilities, interruption of classes, damage to property, or disruption of the operation of the University, nor blocking vehicular or pedestrian traffic, unless such traffic is diverted by previous arrangement with the Campus Police.” So why does Rogers State need three days of advance notice prior to allowing students to speak their minds? Answer: It doesn’t.

While administrators typically respond to criticism from free speech advocates by claiming these types of regulations are permissible as “time, place, and manner” restrictions, courts have held time and again that to be considered lawful, “time, place, and manner” restrictions must be “narrowly tailored” to serve a significant governmental interest, leaving open ample alternative channels for communication. Again: If student protesters at Rogers State are already prohibited from interrupting classes, disrupting university operations, and blocking vehicular or pedestrian traffic, what is the university’s significant interest in requiring protests to be registered three days in advance?