Free speech at Warwick ranked red
The University and the Student Union insist that they hold positive attitudes towards free speech after being accused of banning and censoring ideas on campus.
Earlier today, it was announced that Warwick University was ranked red overall for it’s attitude to free speech by online magazine Spiked. The ranking suggested that the University itself was an amber rating whilst the SU was a red ranking.
Warwick received a red ranking for a second year in a row Photo: Matthijs / Flickr
However, the website did not explain the methodology behind this assessment.
Representatives from the University, including the Students’ Union (SU) President Isaac Leigh, have criticised online magazine Spiked after it published a second article which ranks institutions according to their attitudes towards free speech.
Spiked accused Warwick of making no progression in its attitudes towards free speech and ranked the University ‘amber’ and the SU ‘red’. These rankings were the same in last year’s survey with the magazine criticising the SU’s ban on the Sun and the Daily Star on campus. Yet the University’s ‘Dignity at Warwick’ policy and the SU’s ‘External Speakers Policy’ were cited as redeeming features.
This is a particularly deceptive narrative, since the SU does not arbitrarily “ban” anything. For example, we have never banned a speaker from coming to campus to speak, despite media reports to the contrary
Isaac Leigh, SU President
Warwick has fallen in line with over half of UK universities in being ranked ‘red’ overall, a judgement which Leigh attributes to the magazine’s “political motivations” despite the SU allegedly refusing permission for Maryam Namazie to speak on campus last year.
Leigh also criticised the media for misunderstanding the circumstances surrounding the visit of Namazie, who the University allegedly feared would “incite hatred” on campus.
He said: “This is a particularly deceptive narrative, since the SU does not arbitrarily “ban” anything. For example, we have never banned a speaker from coming to campus to speak, despite media reports to the contrary
Warwick SU “does not arbitrarily ‘ban’ anything” according to the Isaac Leigh Photo: dreamwhile / Flickr
“There is also a major difference between a boycott and a ban – one is a democratic tactic used to effect change, while the other is an autocratic, reactionary measure.”
The University, which was criticised earlier this month for “wanting out” from the Freedom of Information Act which makes them subject to FOI requests that they’re legally obliged to answer, also denied curtailing their responsibilities towards ensuring free speech.
Peter Dunn, director of press and policy for the University, also pointed out that the rankings on Spiked accused 90 per cent of UK universities of censoring free speech.
In regard to external speakers the University has statutory duties and responsibilities to secure academic freedom and free speech.
Peter Dunn, director of press and policy at Warwick
He said: “In regard to external speakers the University has statutory duties and responsibilities to secure academic freedom and free speech, whilst also having statutory duties and responsibilities to assess any risks or legal concerns that need to be considered and addressed.
“On that basis this survey should be showing all UK universities as being the same colour code.”
Comments (1)
“For example, we have never banned a speaker from coming to campus to speak, despite media reports to the contrary”
Because the SU don’t the authority to do so. Congratulations Warwick SU, you haven’t done something you literally can’t do.