In December, University of Wyoming (UW) President Ed Seidel convened a group of mainly faculty and administrators to help him better communicate and act on the university's commitment to free speech. That group has now published its official recommendations in the form of an 18-page report.
The report notes that UW has long been committed to the ideal of free speech and that academic freedom and constructive dialogue make the campus, its culture and its mission stronger.
"UW already has a strong culture of free expression and respectful dialogue that reflects Wyoming's inspiring history of equality, independent thought, and civic connection," the report states. "These recommendations, therefore, are intended as nutrients for an already fertile ground."
The working group was convened shortly after a high-profile incident in December 2022.
The Wyoming Union is a public area of campus with shops, a food court, conference halls and other places to gather. It also has a heavily trafficked thoroughfare where individuals and organizations can table and chat with passersby.
In December, a Christian preacher who has tabled in the student union for more than a decade displayed an anti-trans banner identifying a specific transgender student by name. On that day, UW officials made him remove the name from his banner, but allowed him to stay in the union for the rest of the day. Following a public outcry from students, alumni and other community members about his being allowed to stay, the university banned the preacher from tabling in the union for one year.
That preacher is now suing the university, alleging that the institution infringed on his First Amendment rights to free speech.
The working group's final report does not detail or directly address this incident, and it refrains from drawing any hard lines in the sand when it comes to balancing free speech rights with student safety concerns. It does, however, clearly state that UW is committed to fostering the open exchange of ideas — even "uncomfortable" ideas — on campus, and that the institution is committed to "neutrality" on these issues.
"To recognize that while the free expression of ideas, beliefs, and criticism can be uncomfortable, legal free expression rights must be respected at a public university in accordance with the nation's First Amendment protections and the right to free speech enshrined in the Constitution of the State of Wyoming," the report states.
The recommendations include reexamining everything from the Student Code of Conduct to donor relations to make sure the university is clear about its stance across the board. The report also recommends specialized training for new students and employees and even the creation of a physical "Center for Free Expression and Respectful Dialogue" — among other initiatives and publications.
The recommendations run the gamut from "articulating" the university's stance more clearly to "operationalizing" its stated commitment more vigorously.
The working group even drafted a proposed "Statement of the University of Wyoming Principles" — a two-page document outlining UW's historical interest in defending free speech rights and reiterating its current interest in doing the same.
"The University of Wyoming strives to support and model a culture of respectful engagement in which even the most difficult or challenging of ideas can be expressed, received, and contested with grace through the practice of civil discourse and constructive dialogue," reads the proposed statement, which starts on page 10 of the final report. "In so doing, UW encourages people with diverse backgrounds and values to speak, write, live, and learn together in a welcoming, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating environment that celebrates free expression and intellectual and academic freedom."
As it crafted these recommendations, the working group also conducted a survey of nearly 700 students to develop a feel for what students think about the current climate on campus.
Almost all UW students — more than 90 percent — say they have opportunities on campus to engage in respectful dialogue about controversial topics. The survey also shows that almost 70 percent of students think UW promotes free inquiry in the classroom. A majority of students, 55 percent, also think UW promotes discussion and debate outside the classroom.
The university is now asking for input from the public through an online portal open this summer. Seidel said he will determine next steps this fall.
