Faculty & Staff Resources for Expressive Activity

For faculty and staff who want to engage on campus, the following are important resources to help you
when engaging in expressive events at BGSU.

Common Expressive Event Scenarios

  • Social Media - Social media provides a mechanism for information to be broadly shared – sometimes even anonymously. Some content may even be offensive; however, the University must adhere to the First Amendment, which may not allow the institution to censor the message.
  • Speakers - A primary mission of higher education is to facilitate and protect the free exchange of ideas. One common way to execute this mission is via speakers discussing a variety of topics and issues. Individuals who disagree with the speaker have the right to peacefully demonstrate their differing opinion. Blocking access to a speaker or preventing the speaker from being able to deliver their message is not permitted. The University can regulate the time, place and manner of free speech and expressive activities to ensure that normal operations of the institution are not interrupted. 
  • In the Classroom - The First Amendment also has implications inside the classroom. Instructors may limit topics to those that are related to the academic discipline of the course. They may also place time limits on class discussions and require that written or oral information conform to academic standards.

Refer to the Free Speech and Academic Freedom page for additional guides:

Free Speech and Academic Freedom

Employee-Related Policies and Resources

Updated: 06/07/2023 04:09PM