Principles on Free Expression and Academic Freedom

Oregon State University works every day to create learning environments dedicated to fostering equal opportunity to learn, explore, engage and succeed.

Our commitment to free expression and academic freedom recognizes that sharing diverse ideas, opinions and beliefs is necessary for learning, and dialogue among individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, experiences and viewpoints advances our teaching, research and engagement mission. 

The following principles guide OSU’s approach to free expression:

• Freedom of expression (also called freedom of speech) is a fundamental right guaranteed by the U.S. and Oregon constitutions.
• OSU will vigorously protect the right of individuals to express their viewpoints, perspectives and opinions.
• All members of the OSU community are responsible for ensuring that the university’s commitment to free expression and academic freedom are upheld.
• At times, some may find the content of views expressed offensive, objectionable or contrary to the university’s institutional values.
• Rather than silencing viewpoints we disagree with, we will seek clarity, gather countervailing evidence and offer contrasting viewpoints.
• In this way, disagreement and dissent are welcome at OSU. While this may create discomfort at times, OSU’s commitment to protecting the right for others to speak, even when we may strongly disagree with them, guarantees that we all can speak.
• The university is a speaker too, but OSU must use its voice thoughtfully, carefully evaluating when it takes positions to avoid deterring dialogue or swaying a debate.
• Free expression does not come without negative impact. While we must vigorously protect the right to express diverse viewpoints, even protected speech can cause harm. We recognize the need to care for individuals and communities that are impacted, and OSU offers many resources to navigate the impacts of speech that can occur in a diverse community.
• In rare occasions, speech may cross a line from free expression to conduct that constitutes harassment, discrimination or threats of violence. This speech may violate university policy and must be reported to ensure OSU remains a place that is physically safe and where all can learn and thrive.
• The right to free expression does not include the right to prevent others from speaking or learning. And while protest, regardless of viewpoints expressed, is a welcome and essential part of university life, disrupting speakers or preventing the normal operation of the university may violate university policy.

The following principles guide OSU’s approach to academic freedom:

• While related to free expression, academic freedom is different in who and what it applies to.
• Academic freedom protects the rights of scholars to freely teach, conduct research, publish, engage in scholarly matters and speak on matters of university governance.
• Academic freedom does not cover everything faculty do, say or write, but where it applies, the university will vigorously protect academic freedom rights and resist attempts to silence or censor faculty.

The application of free expression and academic freedom rights is highly context-specific and complex. For questions about how free expression and academic freedom protections apply in specific situations, OSU employees should contact the OSU Office of General Counsel, and OSU students should contact the Office of the Dean of Students.

These principles were originally developed in 2017 and updated in 2024 in consultation with the OSU Committee on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.