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Regulations Governing the Appearance of Off-Campus Speakers Invited by Recognized Student and Faculty Groups

The freedoms of speech and assembly guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution shall be enjoyed by the students and faculty of Western Illinois University in regards to the opportunity to hear off-campus or outside speakers. Free discussion of subjects of either controversial or noncontroversial nature shall not be curtailed.

Requests for speakers shall set forth the name of the requesting student or faculty organization, the proposed date, time, location, topic of speech, expected size of the audience, anticipated need for public address system, parking, and traffic control.

The Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Services shall be the authorized University agency to consider requests for speakers.

No invited speaker may advocate the use of force or the violation of law where it is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.

The sponsor assumes the responsibility for notifying a speaker of the regulations governing his/her appearance. The appearance of an invited speaker on campus does not constitute an endorsement of his or her views by the institution, its faculty, its administration, or its governing board.

These regulations shall not apply to speakers invited by instructors to speak in the classroom except that the speaker shall be held fully accountable for any violation of law committed while on campus.

Non-university groups using the institutional facilities on a rental or community service basis shall conduct their programs in a manner to avoid interference with institutional programs and shall be held totally accountable for disruption or damage which occurs attendant upon their presence on campus.