Free Speech and Academic Rights

October 11 marked this year’s National Coming Out Day. Campuses nationwide hosted events ranging from safe-sex workshops to breast parties. Many campuses hosted panels and parades. Panel participants spoke about their own personal coming out stories and the hardships and challenges they faced as well as the relief they felt once they came out. More from the University of Arizona paper, the Daily Wildcat More from the University of Dayton paper,

  Rick Kamdar, a student expelled for discrimination, physical abuse, and “conduct that endangers others,” will be appealing his expulsion from American University. The former AU senior is considering suing the University as well. The expulsion stems from an incident that occurred in November, which began when Kamdar was told to “Go back to India” upon asking for a light. Kamdar responded with an anti-gay slur, and a tussle broke out. Although the insulted student was in fact gay, he contends that the precipitating comment was also discriminatory, and that he’s being unfairly punished.

  Racial slurs against blacks were found in the men’s bathrooms of a Pace building, and reported to the campus community on February 2nd. Since then, the NYPD has classified the incident as a hate crime and arrested a University student in connection with the case. Last semester saw a number of racial incidents at both campuses of the University, prompting the creation of several new programs to promote tolerance, and a new “Not On My Watch” policy from the President of Pace. The NYPD defines a hate crime as “any offense or unlawful act that is motivated in whole or part by a person's,

  Northwestern University prevented students from holding a rally for Ron Paul on campus space the students had reserved. The administration claimed the rally would violate Internal Revenue Code blanket prohibition on tax-exempt organizations engaging in partisan political activity. College Republican Vice President James D’Angelo, however, has contacted IRS specialists who described the University’s policy as “ridiculous.”  D’Angelo is now working with the University’s general counsel to change the policy.

Recent surveys show that 22 percent of employers search the online profiles of potential employees. In 2006, surveys showed only 11 percent routinely checked social networking sites. The educational company, Kaplan, recently posted survey results that state 10 percent of admission officers look at sites like Facebook and MySpace to evaluate applicants. Lynn Palmer, director of admissions for Middle Tennessee State University, said students are marketing documents about themselves and should be careful about the information they include on their profiles. More from the University of Kentucky

  Last fall, students at Brandeis University complained about Professor Donald Hindley, who was said to have made racially discriminatory comments. Now the administration has brought in a lawyer, Drayl Lapp, to address the faculty. Professor Hindley was said to have made the racially insensitive comments in his classroom last October, however, the case was closed in January. Since then, other issues have risen, such as the clarity of the Faculty Handbook on the issue of offensive language in the classroom. In order to better address this issue, an amendment has been made in the handboo

  The University of Georgia Student Affairs office and University police have begun cracking down on student chalk writing on campus property. The additional enforcement also applies to paper literature. The crackdown hopes to stop students from breaking campus policy and “advertising” (or campaigning) in unauthorized locations or without prior consent. 3/20/07  Read More from the University of Georgia

  New York University’s College Republicans held a “Find the Illegal Immigrant Hunt,” an event in which a student roamed around Washington Square Park wearing a badge that said “illegal immigrant,” and “INS agents” set out to find her. College Republican President Sarah Chambers said the event was held to generate controversy and spark discussion on the topic of immigration. It also sparked demonstrations, as hundreds of outraged students and community members took to the streets to protest the hunt. Although this may be the most visible event of its kind to date, it’s not the first; i