Trying to set up a student forum showed me the red tape

Last fall, I worked with a club to organize a simple panel on internet privacy. We followed all the posted rules, sending in our request early. But then came the extra steps nobody mentioned. We had to get a security review that cost money from our budget. The office kept asking for more details on every speaker's past comments. It dragged on for weeks until they finally said the topic was too risky for the campus climate. I watched other groups face the same delays, especially if their subject touched on politics. It makes you wonder if the real goal is to avoid anything that might stir discussion.

3 comments

3 Comments

wendyj242mo ago

Ugh, that reminds me of my friend's campus radio show. He just wanted to do a silly segment reviewing campus food, and the student activities office made him submit the script for "tone review" a week in advance. They said all content had to have "positive messaging" about campus life. He gave up.

jade4952mo ago

Notice this crap everywhere, from school clubs to work meetings. People in charge force fake positivity to avoid any real criticism. It kills honest feedback and makes everything bland. @wendyj24, your friend's radio show is a perfect example of how this system shuts down fun ideas.

victorb512mo ago

But isn't some of that just how big groups have to work? Not everything is a deep conspiracy.