Despite the name, students attending Liberty University have little liberty in terms of free speech and differences in opinion. The university, located in Lynchburg, VA, is one of the most conservative leaning in the nation, with students having limited freedoms on campus and restricted spaces for dissenting opinions.
There have been various reports of female students being punished for reporting rape and sexual assault. The university justifies these choices by claiming they are enforcing the “Liberty Way” by disciplining students who are known to have been involved with underage drinking and premarital sex.
However, the wrongful implementation of these practices only harms victims, and allows for offenders to get away with their crimes.
Known as the “Liberty Way,” the honor and behavioural code at Liberty is incredibly strict, especially considering it is being applied to students who are legal adults living autonomously from guardians.
Students deemed to have violated the “Liberty Way” are at risk of suspension or expulsion. The friends and roommates of violators are also expected to report wrongdoing by their peers, and can be pressured by faculty to turn in classmates or give private information.
Further, Liberty’s policies adhering to conservative Christian values inherently limit ideological diversity and free speech by restricting selected speakers to only those who abide by the university’s principals, and ensuring that their student journalism is one of the most censored in the nation.
There are strict guidelines placed on The Liberty Champion, the student newspaper, that restrict students from criticizing policies or actions of the university. Students face censorship from editors restricting the viewpoints of writers, and reporters often feel compelled to censor themselves to avoid drawing criticism from the university. Speaking against popular belief could also draw unwanted attention from other students, especially on a campus where diversity of thought is limited.
Students also face the threat of disciplinary action, along with social exclusion from the majority conservative student body, for attending political protests not in line with Liberty values. Liberty encourages students to attend the yearly March For Life in Washington, DC, even providing transportation, which can easily be perceived as forcing ideology and discouraging dissent.
This draws a stark contrast to policies regarding individuality and expression at public universities like the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and William & Mary, where freedom of speech is upheld. Students at public, state-operated institutions are not forced into compliance with strict rules, and their freedoms of speech, press and expression are not limited in order to comply with university values.
Evidently, Liberty’s policies are repressive to the individuality of students and force conformity, rejecting free thought and forcing strict values that students must adhere to in order to maintain status as students.
Even though Liberty is not bound to honor the Constitution as a private university, these policies are still unethical and harmful to students seeking an education. In the end, the choice belongs to the student.
