Policy on "Outsiders" Speaking on University Grounds

In 1955, in connection with a request from a student organization to present an outsider speaker in a University building under its auspices, the complaint was made that no principles exist which constitute a guide to an organization in such a situation. To address this, the following Principles Governing Permission to Outsiders to Speak on University Premises were issued: [1]

Permission to anyone from outside the University to speak on University property or at a University function cannot be demanded or compelled as a matter of legal right. With the exception that the University is forbidden by statute to extend the use of any of its facilities to any subversive, seditious, and un-American organization, or to its representatives, for the purpose of carrying on, advertising, or publicizing the activities of such organization, such permission constitutes a privilege which the University, in the exercise of a sounds discretion, may grant of withhold.

In determining whether this privilege should be accorded to any outside speaker by or for whom it is requested, those University officers who are vested with the authority and under the duty to act upon the request may and should accord due consideration to the question of whether it would be detrimental to the best interests of the University to grant it. If they, not acting arbitrarily but in good faith and upon reasonable grounds, conclude that it would clearly appear to be in the best interests of the University to deny the request, it is both their right and duty to deny it. When they have taken that action, they are not compelled to disclose the grounds upon which they so reached that conclusion or the source or sources of any reliable and confidential information which they have taken into consideration in reaching it.

It should be noted that this applies to all outside speakers and not necessarily to the use of University buildings and premises by candidates for public office or for political meetings which is governed by another statement of policy.

Like most University governing policies, it has seen its fair share of later revisions.