WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2004
POLITICS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
11
Provost outlines fair speech
By Jay Senter
jsenter@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The placards are being inked, the platforms developed, the stump speeches honed. When the presidential political campaigns get under way later this summer, America might witness some of the most partisan political debates in a generation.
But for a state school like the University of Kansas, ensuring the political expression surrounding an election allows both First Amendment rights and prevents abuses of power can be a tightrope walk.
Last week, the Provost's office e-mailed students and faculty members an outline of the rules governing political expression on campus.
Specifically, the message spelled out acceptable uses of campus e-mail servers and public residence hall space.
State law forbids the use of campus mail or school e-mail to promote a political candidate or party, and University policy bans door-to-door solicitation in residence halls.
Provost David Shulenburger said the message was intended to reduce the likelihood that the actions of a campus organization or faculty member would
draw the attention of state officials.
"We just don't want to be in a situation where the University gets penalized by the state either through a fine or through having appropriations reduced or anything else," Shulenburger said. "They are state rules, and state rules we have to follow."
The Provost's office has issued similar statements as recent elections have neared, mainly to prevent the recurrence of incidents in which University property was used to spread partisan political messages.
Shulenburger said that University email servers and fax machines have been used for such purposes during previous elections. Punishments for such infractions don't usually make it to the jurisdiction of officials in Topeka.
"We've generally said 'quit it,' and that has been effective," Sulenburger said.
While some students may balk at the impression that their right of free expression is being censored by the University policies, Ted Frederickson, professor of journalism, said the Provost's message was a way for the University to weigh two conflicting ideals.
"A state university has to perform a bit of a balancing act between adhering to those restrictions while still protecting the First Amendment rights of students and faculty to speak freely about politics, economics, philosophy or anything else," Frederickson said.
Registered political student groups, like the College Republicans and Young Democrats, enjoy some protections under the guidelines. But even the remaining regulations do not seem to significantly hinder their campaign activities.
Josh Steward, College Republicans vice-chairman, said his organization's goals are not impacted significantly by the regulations.
"We can still use e-mail to send out notices to our members, and to try to get interested people to show up to our meetings," Steward said. "We wouldn't want to use mass e-mails anyway, because people don't read them."
Neither Shulenburger nor Frederickson expect the regulations to inhibit students and faculty members from participating in political discourse.
"Members of the campus community will no doubt continue to vigorously debate via e-mail and other campus media Bush versus Kerry and other races in the upcoming elections," Frederickson said. "They simply can't mount organized campaigns using University workers, offices, photocopiers and computer networks."
- Edited by Erik Johnson
CAMPUS POLITICAL EXPRESSION GUIDELINES
The Provost's office reminded University of Kansas students and faculty last week of regulations on the use of school property for political expression. Some of those regulations are listed below.
Signs to be displayed in residence halls must be submitted to advisers at the front desk for posting.
No solicitation,political or otherwise,is permitted in the residence halls.
University e-mail may not be used to support a partisan political cause — for example, students and faculty should not use their University accounts to invite colleagues to a political fundraiser.
Campus mail may not be used for political purposes.
Public funds, equipment, vehicles and other supplies may not be used in campaign activities.
Source: Provost's office.