Freedom of Inquiry and Expression

Students and student organizations are free to examine and discuss all questions of interest to them and express opinions publicly and privately. They shall always be free to support causes by orderly means that do not disrupt the regular and essential operation of the College.

Officially recognized student organizations shall be allowed to invite persons or organizations of their choosing. The college has procedures for inviting and housing guest speakers to the campus that provide a point of college approval for the event and to insure orderly scheduling of facilities and appropriate organization and preparation. These procedures are coordinated by the Director of Student Activities. Augustana College maintains that sponsorship of speakers and non-college organizations by officially recognized student organizations does not necessarily imply approval or endorsement of the views expressed either by the sponsoring groups or the College.

Protection of Freedom of Expression
Students are free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgement about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study for which they are enrolled.

Student Government
Students are free individually and collectively to express their views on issues of college policy and on matters of general interest to the student body. The student body has a clearly defined means through the Augustana Student Association to participate in the formulation and application of institutional policy affecting academic and student affairs.

Student Publications (See Also: The Mirror)
As the publisher of student publications, Augustana College may have to bear the legal responsibility for the contents of the publications. In the delegation of editorial responsibility to students, the college provides sufficient editorial freedom and financial autonomy for student publications to maintain their integrity of purpose as vehicles for free inquiry and free expression in an academic community. The college administration, through the Publications Board, has a responsibility to provide clarification of the role of the student publications. The editorial freedom of student editors and managers entails corollary responsibilities to be governed by elements of responsible journalism, such as the avoidance of libel, indecency, undocumented allegations, attacks on personal integrity, and the techniques of harassment and innuendo. As safeguards for the editorial freedom of student publications the following provisions are necessary:

  • The student press shall be free of censorship and advance approval of copy. Its editors and managers are free to develop their own editorial policies and news coverage keeping in mind the rights of all students in respect to valid coverage of all aspects of student life.
  • Editors and managers of student publications are protected from arbitrary suspension and removal because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy or content. Only for proper and stated causes shall editors and managers be subject to removal and then by orderly and prescribed procedures designated by the Publications Board.
  • All Augustana College published and financed student publications shall explicitly state on the editorial page that opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the College or the students.