Free speech policy discussions stalled at Academic Senate

By Jaylen Morgan • April 2, 2025

(L-R) Front row: counselor Amy Herrschaft, Black Student Success counselor Autumn Blakley, biology professor Polly Parks, and English professors Erica Brenes and Chris Page sit in the front row near the end of the Academic Senate meeting Tuesday, April 1 in the Distance Education Center. The meeting discussed the free speech policy proposals, Administrative Procedure 3900 and Board Policy 3900, which state how students, employees and the public may engage in free expression on campus. Faculty at the meeting voted to pause discussion and form a committee to present their position on the policies to El Camino College President Brenda Thames and the College Council, which is set to vote on the matter at its next meeting Monday, April 21. (Nikki Yunker | The Union)

Faculty voted to pause discussion and form a committee regarding proposed speech policies at the Academic Senate meeting in the Distance Education Center on Tuesday, April 1.

The policies, including Board Policy 3900, indicate how students, employees, and the public can express their views and post materials on campus at El Camino College.

The committee will create a document to share their concerns regarding the policies with the College Council and President Brenda Thames.

While the college already has policies from 2016 in effect regarding speech on campus, the newly proposed policies include different terms.

Charlene Brewer-Smith, Academic Senate president and cosmetology professor, said that posters or materials that do not represent the views of the college cannot face outwards in faculty offices.

Academic Senate President and cosmetology professor Charlene Brewer-Smith conducts a discussion of the newly proposed speech policies at the Academic Senate meeting Tuesday, April 1 in the Distance Education Center. Brewer-Smith said that under the policies, faculty cannot outwardly display materials that express their alliances for causes on their office doors or windows. (Nikki Yunker | The Union)

The procedure for the policy, Administrative Procedure 3900, states that the Student Development Office must approve any promotional materials posted on designated bulletin boards.

Stephanie Burnham, vice president of Academic Senate and English professor, said that the policies need to be looked at more thoroughly and revised.

“I do think it’s encroaching upon our academic freedom that we have in our classrooms, and I’d like us to do more research to see what other colleges have done,” Burnham said.

(L-R) Academic Senate executive committee members: Counselor Maria Garcia, English professor Kevin Degnan, business professor Joshua Troesh, English professor Stephanie Burnham and counselor Anna Brochet listen to a discussion of free speech policies during the Academic Senate meeting Tuesday, April 1. The Academic Senate paused a discussion of the policies and formed a committee to present the faculty's position to the college president and the College Council. (Nikki Yunker | The Union) — (L-R) Academic Senate executive committee members: Counselor Maria Garcia, English professor Kevin Degnan, business professor Joshua Troesh, English professor Stephanie Burnham and counselor Anna Brochet listen to a discussion of free speech policies during the Academic Senate meeting Tuesday, April 1 in the Distance Education Center. The Academic Senate paused a discussion of the policies and formed a committee to present the faculty’s position to El Camino College President Brenda Thames and the College Council, which is set to vote on the matter at its next meeting Monday, April 21. (Nikki Yunker | The Union)

Some faculty members believe these policies have been placed because of prior events on campus, including an October 2024 protest regarding Israel and Palestine.

Art history professor Alireza Ahmadpour said the policies amount to censorship and shouldn’t be allowed.

“They are trying to limit your freedom of speech, they are trying to limit your academic freedom and we should not allow that to happen,” Ahmadpour said.