Are speakers not affiliated with UWM allowed to use university space?

UWM has long opened its doors to public speakers espousing many perspectives on a wide variety of topics. Doing this provides students and others with additional opportunities to learn different perspectives. A person on campus simply expressing a view does not mean the university agrees with that viewpoint, nor should it be understood that individual students, staff or faculty members agree with that viewpoint. Because the First Amendment limits the university’s ability to restrict the freedom of speech, even offensive or hateful views receive constitutional protection.

Officially recognized student organizations have the right to invite speakers to campus, subject to the policies announced in the Student Organizations Manual. Per the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Board of Regents v. Southworth (2000), student segregated fee committees that allocate funds to student organizations must do so without regard to the viewpoints espoused by the organization. The First Amendment prohibits a public university from canceling an event or punishing the sponsoring organization based on the views expressed by an invited speaker. Only in specific circumstances may the university cancel an invited speaker event. If a student organization invites a speaker to campus, the university is required to take reasonable precautions to ensure that the event takes place safely, without undue interference or violence.