Spring Break
Restrictive policies under FIRE
University receives 'red light' rating for policies restricting freedom of speech
Brian Reisinger
Issue date: 3/5/07 Section: Campus News
College life changed for RA Lance Steiger in the fall of 2005 when he contacted the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education about a policy banning him from holding Bible studies in his residence hall.
Calls pummeled his phone as his story reverberated throughout local, state and national media outlets, he said. He later filed a lawsuit against the university - while continuing to work as an RA - that ended after a UW System-wide policy change of constitutional proportions.
"I felt like I needed to stand my ground," said Steiger, a spring 2006 graduate.
But Steiger's experience, while prominent, is only one of four apparent clashes between FIRE and UW-Eau Claire in a little more than two years.
It's a history that's due to fundamental differences between how the university and this constitutional watchdog group view student rights, but also to the efforts of a few students and one outspoken faculty member to rally support for various causes.
Varying viewpoints
By FIRE's own 2006 Spotlight study of policies on public campuses, Eau Claire is but one of 229 "red light" universities that "clearly and substantially restrict speech." Schools that received a "yellow light" rating for less restrictive policies numbered 91, and eight received a "green light" grade. That makes approximately 70 percent of all schools in FIRE's recent spotlight study "red light" institutions.
Eau Claire's poor grade is due to sexual and general harassment policies that FIRE says are so vague they limit free speech.
But Eau Claire's previous controversies - which have arisen from a Service-Learning policy, organizational funding and the RA incident - also make it prominent, said Will Creeley, senior program officer for FIRE.
"They're one of the public schools that seem to continually show up," Creeley said.
University officials say they must balance conflicting interests to provide the best possible environment for all students.
Calls pummeled his phone as his story reverberated throughout local, state and national media outlets, he said. He later filed a lawsuit against the university - while continuing to work as an RA - that ended after a UW System-wide policy change of constitutional proportions.
"I felt like I needed to stand my ground," said Steiger, a spring 2006 graduate.
But Steiger's experience, while prominent, is only one of four apparent clashes between FIRE and UW-Eau Claire in a little more than two years.
It's a history that's due to fundamental differences between how the university and this constitutional watchdog group view student rights, but also to the efforts of a few students and one outspoken faculty member to rally support for various causes.
Varying viewpoints
By FIRE's own 2006 Spotlight study of policies on public campuses, Eau Claire is but one of 229 "red light" universities that "clearly and substantially restrict speech." Schools that received a "yellow light" rating for less restrictive policies numbered 91, and eight received a "green light" grade. That makes approximately 70 percent of all schools in FIRE's recent spotlight study "red light" institutions.
Eau Claire's poor grade is due to sexual and general harassment policies that FIRE says are so vague they limit free speech.
But Eau Claire's previous controversies - which have arisen from a Service-Learning policy, organizational funding and the RA incident - also make it prominent, said Will Creeley, senior program officer for FIRE.
"They're one of the public schools that seem to continually show up," Creeley said.
University officials say they must balance conflicting interests to provide the best possible environment for all students.
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