Response to article on freedom of speech at universities

The below is the full letter to the editor of The Australian on 18 May 2016 by University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Glyn Davis.

Dear Editor,

Your report “Eight in 10 universities restrict free speech” suggests universities do not support free speech and, by implication, freedom of political activity.  In one sense this is true for the broader society – the rules of defamation, libel and vilification apply to all citizens.  But it is also misleading, since universities remain a lively space for debate and argument, including sometimes demonstrations directed against the university itself.

To make its case, your report reproduces claims that in 2013 the University of Melbourne removed from campus students with a poster featuring words by John Howard. Absence of evidence is not proof of anything, but a review of University security records finds no mention of the alleged incident. There appears no trail on social media at the time, nor any subsequent complaint to the University. Our policies and procedures are designed to protect such expression, not hinder it

If students were asked to leave the campus, it was not by University management. That would indeed be an affront to free speech.