MICHIGAN — The University of Michigan earlier this monthdropped a proposed policy that would have limited the distribution ofpublications in many campus buildings.
The draft policy would have allowed only student organizations under theBoard of Student Publications or those recognized by the Michigan StudentAssembly to pass out fliers or display publications in College of Literature,Science and the Arts buildings.
The Michigan Daily and The Michigan Review, studentpapers at the university, publicized the policy in January, and editorscriticized it for infringing on free speech rights. University officialsmaintained the policy was created to reduce litter in LSA buildings and setguidelines for what publications would be allowed into the buildings.
“I think they realized that the backlash was stronger than they expected,”said Andrew Grossman, editor in chief of the Michigan Daily. “It wasn’t aresponsibility they wanted to take on.”
The university has not said why it dropped the proposal, Grossman said.University spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham told the Student Press Law Center inFebruary that the university was going to schedule a meeting with student mediaand organizations to discuss the proposed policy. No such meeting took place,but policy developers did meet with some members of the Board of StudentPublications, Grossman said.
“After further review, it was decided that it was not needed at this timeand that things are working fairly smoothly at this time,” Cunningham told theMichigan Review.
The SPLC could not reach the university for comment on Thursday afternoon.