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University Board to limit its own free speech?

The WaPo reports that the University of Virginia’s Board of Visitors will take up this proposal shortly:

“Visitors shall publicly support, or at the very least not openly oppose, the Board’s action as a strong, visible consensus facilitates successful execution of policy and strategy.”

“Visitors” is the term Mr. Jefferson used for what we at the University of Oregon call Trustees. Any guesses on what the author of the Declaration of Independence would have said about this proposal to limit public dissent?

Meanwhile, back in Oregon, it’s still an open question for how vocal and independent the UO Trustees will be. At the most recent meeting there seemed to be plenty of open discussion, but President Gottfredson is doing his best to make sure the board only communicates with carefully vetted faculty. The only UO faculty member on the board, Susan Gary (Law), is a timid dud. Last year’s student rep, Sam Dotters-Katz, was a wild card and the board got him to shut up. Kitzhaber still hasn’t nominated a replacement.

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