Aloha Yellow Jackets,

Welcome back from Spring Break!  I hope you were able to find some relaxation and rejuvenation – and are ready to finish the rest of the academic year.

In the February issue of this newsletter, we focused on the difference between hate speech and protected speech. This month we asked undergraduate student leaders why upholding and safeguarding freedom of expression was so important for a college campus. Listen to what GT student leaders shared about what they believe are the most essential rights and responsibilities of students when it comes to protecting speech and expressive activity.

Next month, we will hear from graduate students.

We’ve spent the last several newsletters exploring Georgia Tech’s strategic value of safeguarding freedom of inquiry and expression. Expressive activity has continued to increase on and around Georgia Tech’s campus, adding to the energy of campus life. I want to remind you to review your rights and responsibilities regarding freedom of expression. It’s important to reiterate that as a public university, we are bound by ethical duty and legal responsibility to support all lawful expressive activity – no matter how hurtful or hateful it may be perceived as being.    
 

Sometimes, it can be challenging to uphold someone else’s right to freedom of expression. It’s hard to suppress the desire to silence others’ speech when their words anger, hurt or upset you. Or, we just may be simply struggling to get our own voices heard. However, as we noted in the first of our freedom of expression video series, interfering with another individual’s right to free speech is known as the “heckler’s veto.” This potentially violates the First Amendment rights of that individual and as such may not be protected speech. For example, a heckler’s veto occurs when the rowdy conduct of a hostile audience (individual or group) results in shutting down a speaker or drowning out their ability to be heard.

As always, if you believe that expressive activity is occurring in violation of either our time, place and manner procedures or our student code of conduct, please feel free to report this by emailing vp_sewb@gatech.edu or submitting a complaint at https://studentlife.gatech.edu/request-assistance.