Residential Education (ResEd) recently shared an update with Resident Fellows (RFs) about the flag and banner policy. They have changed their previous rule, allowing students to display banners outside their windows.
The new policy, found on Stanford’s “Free Expression” website, states that residents can place banners, flags, or signs both inside and outside their window, as long as everyone in the room agrees.
Vice Provost for Student Affairs Michele Rasmussen explained that confusion arose from the differing rules for indoor and outdoor displays. Students expressed that it didn’t align with Stanford’s values of free expression.
This change comes amidst ongoing debates about free speech on campus, which have included stricter guidelines and even the removal of a banner from Green Library due to policy issues.
Previously, in September, the University had prohibited the hanging of flags and banners from windows or railings unless they matched the theme of the dorm. This restriction sparked questions about why indoor displays were acceptable while outdoor ones were not.
Professor Bernie Meyler, who advises on university speech matters, played a role in the updated decision alongside University administrators and student representatives.
Notably, many students continued to hang flags from their windows despite the September ban. “If you walk around campus, you’ll see flags from different countries in students’ rooms,” said Zuha Hassen ’28. “It’s a form of free speech.”
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