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GVSU settles free speech lawsuit

gvsu.edu

Grand Valley State University has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit that said the university unfairly restricted free speech on campus.

Student group "Turning Point USA at Grand Valley State University" was critical of the school's Free Speech Zone Policy. It filed a lawsuit in December claiming GVSU was limiting expressive activity to "speech zones" and requiring students to gain prior university permission.

In the settlement, the university is adopting a revised policy and agreed to pay about $11,000 in legal fees and costs.

A statement from Tom Butcher, Vice President and General Counsel for Grand Valley State University reads, “The University is a marketplace of ideas and supports the use of certain areas for expressive activities provided it does not materially disrupt the purpose of the University, which is to educate students and provide for their student activities,” adding, “This policy provides greater clarity for students, student organizations and others about use of grounds and facilities.”

The new "Grounds and Facility Use Policy" permits students to gather, express themselves and distribute literature throughout campus as long as they don't block access to campus buildings or traffic and follow other rules. The school says the policy was written to clarify existing policies.

Patrick Center, WGVU News.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.