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Rider University to Change Free Speech Policy After Conservatives Raise Concerns

Rider University to Change Free Speech Policy After Conservatives Raise Concerns

“to eliminate the language … that was suppressing our free speech”

College Republicans at the school were concerned that the policy would suppress free speech. Now it’s going to be changed.

The Washington Free Beacon reported:

Rider University to Amend Bill Targeting Hate Speech

The Rider University Student Government Association intends to amend a bill targeting hate speech, after students expressed concern that it could be wielded to silence conservative voices.

A bill passed last month stipulated that student clubs “may have their recognition called into question,” should they “espouse inflammatory, hateful, or derogatory rhetoric or agendas.”

The bill further asserted that an offense “need not meet legal or academic classifications of ‘hate speech’ in order to violate this principle” in order for SGA to retaliate by defunding or de-recognizing a club.

This expansive, ambiguous wording was cause for alarm to the Rider College Republicans, who expressed fierce opposition to the measure.

Now, CR chair Alex Solomon has told the Washington Free Beacon that the SGA has promised to bring forth an amendment to excise the vague language.

In a meeting Thursday night with the SGA board and SGA President John Modica, Solomon said the student leadership promised “to eliminate the language … that was suppressing our free speech.”

The amendment is likely to be introduced later this month.

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Comments

What will they do if the amendment fails?