Illustration by Jaime Hebel

After Oct. 7 and the on-campus demonstrations that followed, WashU’s policies have been subject to careful examination by students and faculty. WashU community members have looked to the University’s Demonstrations and Disruption policy to understand, affirm, or critique the administration’s response to student protests.

As has been the case throughout the history of WashU and all U.S. universities, there is a tension between regulating demonstrations and upholding the right to free speech. At a private university like WashU, this relationship grows more complicated as they are not legally required to abide by the First Amendment. Last week, Chancellor Andrew Martin discussed his thoughts on university free speech during a sit-down discussion with WashU Law Professor Lee Epstein.

At the event, Chancellor Martin framed the creation of policies as a communal process and responsibility. He argued that the regulation of free speech, among other policies, is an important discussion to have as a community. We aren’t only interested in hearing a call for dialogue between students and administration. We want to understand how and when this type of dialogue would take place. 

The chancellor claimed that policies are often made in conversations with the community and that administrators hold regular meetings with Student Union (SU) about important policies. He gave the example of how students had given “time, place, and manner” input into policies last year, such as prohibiting protests from residential areas on campus. We appreciate how the chancellor gave a material example of policy made in dialogue with students, but the problem is that most students do not know where, when, and how to speak with administrators. 

Ideally, a free-speech event would be a place for students to have this direct discussion. But at the event, attendees asked questions through a QR code and certain questions were skipped over. If administrators only answer certain criticisms, are students really being listened to?

On Tuesday, Chancellor Martin attended a joint session of SU Senate and Treasury for the first time, at which senators and treasurers directly asked him questions. We hope that this meeting sets a precedent for future ones. Additionally, if the administration regularly speaks with SU about policy, they should provide more opportunities for other student groups to do the same. Although they are elected by students, SU is not a representation of the entire student body. In the fall 2023 SU election, only 26.7% of students voted, and in the spring, it was 30.1%. 

The University should keep hosting events like the Longest Table, where students can speak openly and unfiltered, but have administrators attend. They could even host a town hall where students and other community members can express their views.

When WashU’s policies are framed by the chancellor as being created in communal dialogue and with student input, students will expect to hear about those opportunities. We’re listening.

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