NOVA Celebrates National Free Speech Week!

This week, NOVA joins in recognizing National Free Speech Week (FSW), an annual event dedicated to raising public awareness about the importance of freedom of speech and expressive activity. Free speech is a frequent topic of discussion on college campuses; particularly in an election year! National Free Speech Week serves as a unifying, non-partisan and non-ideological celebration of the freedoms that all Americans share.

The U.S. Constitution protects various forms of “expressive activity,” and NOVA has developed comprehensive policies that safeguard the rights of all members of our community. These policies provide guidance for faculty and staff on appropriate campus locations for student expressive activity and clarify behaviors or actions that are restricted inside and outside the classroom. Additionally, NOVA’s policies address the use of campus facilities by visitors wishing to engage in expressive activities.

To extend your knowledge about the significance of free speech and expressive activity for students, including how these intersect with other NOVA policies, please review this important informational video created specifically to help NOVA faculty and staff broaden their understanding of student rights and responsibilities when it comes to free expression in the classroom.   

The video was created by Dr. Nathan Carter, chief institutional effectiveness & inclusion officer, and Charlotte Calobrisi, associate VP for human resources. The content of the video was reviewed by Hannah Stoneburner, associate system counsel and assistant attorney general, to ensure accuracy. 

For more details on NOVA’s policies related to free speech, and to further build on the helpful information provided in the video, visit the Free Speech at NOVA webpage.

Submitted by:
Dr. Nathan Carter, Chief Institutional Effectiveness & Inclusion Officer, NACarter@nvcc.edu