The Office for Students can now impose fines on any university for breaching the rules of free speech, but minority groups fear the ways this may impact their safety.
After years of heavy debate on the issue, universities and students have finally been given a ruling that could either end the argument or cause more disputes.
The government stated last week that universities could face fines if they fail to protect the freedom of speech of guest lecturers or speakers who have controversial views to discuss.
Journalism and Media Communications professor at Cardiff University, Hannah Hamad said, “To be controversial is to engender or expect disagreement on a particular issue.
“This means that most students will encounter subject matter that will likely be viewed by some as controversial every day, and it has been ever thus far.”
Following the article, the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech Bill) announced that under the new plans, for the first time, the Office for Students and individuals from the student union have also been included.
This means that they now have the power to seek compensation through court if the institution breached the rules on freedom of speech.
A Cardiff University student, Precious E Gem said, “I’m glad we now have the option to do so. It gives us the opportunity to speak up and call out on anything that we think is violating our beliefs.
“However, I think this could go either way. On one hand the university is abiding by the law and allowing controversial guest speakers to further our knowledge and on the other, not every student is going to be entirely okay with that.”
In 2015, an Australian writer and feminist named Germaine Greer was invited to Cardiff University for a lecture, but over 3,000 students signed a petition to cancel the lecture due to her transphobic views.
Rachael Mulhuish, the student who started the petition said to the Independent, “Hosting a speaker with such problematic and hateful views towards marginalised and vulnerable groups is dangerous.”
The new freedom of speech laws are a way for the government to ensure university staff can put forth unpopular views without the risk of losing their jobs.
But what good does it do when the Office for Students now has the power to impose fines on the institution breaching the rules?
Jo Grady, head of the University and College Union said to the BBC, “If the government wants to strengthen freedom of speech and academic freedom, it shouldn’t be policing what can and cannot be said on campus, and encourage university managers to move staff on to secure, permanent contracts.”
It appears as though the government and the university managers want to create a safe space for the university staff and students but with heaps of pressure.
Hannah Hamad said, “When the government created the Office for Students in 2018, it did so with the intent to further entrench the marketisation of the Higher Education sector in the UK.
“If the government grants the Office for Students to impose these fines, it is de facto turning free speech into a marketing issue, which raises a number of problematic issues and questions.”
With no specific answer on who gets the credibility of this new freedom of speech bill, it all boils down to how the students feel about this.
Are they happy with the promotion of free speech on campus and do they want to be part of lectures that allow staff or guest speakers to share unpopular views?
Precious said, “There are boundaries for everything. As long as the lecturers don’t trigger hate speech or violence, I think most students would be welcome to challenging views.”
Universities are trying to provide a wide range of opinions and topics that may strike a debate but for educational purposes only.
As cultural theorist Stuart Hall once said, “The university is a critical institution or it is nothing.”
To which Hannah Hamad said, “To attend a lecture with controversial views is to attend a lecture.”