An Arizona State Representative is calling on the Arizona Board of Regents to investigate allegations that officials at Arizona State University have squashed free speech. Rep. Austin Smith’s concerns center around an Arizona State University administrator who claims she was fired for bringing conservative speakers to campus.
Ann Atkinson, executive director of the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at the Barrett Honors College, made the accusation in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal: “I Paid for Free Speech at Arizona State.”
“ASU claims to value freedom of expression, but in the end, the faculty mob always wins against institutional protections for free speech,” wrote Atkinson.
The university claims funding from the T.W. Lewis Foundation dried up.
Whatever the case may be, Atkinson pointed out that ASU seems to have a “deep hostility toward divergent views.”
In his letter to the Regents, Smith cited the case of student Tim Tizon, who was arrested and charged “for handing out copies of the U.S. Constitution on campus.”
“It is my understanding that those charges have finally been dropped,” advised Smith. “Nonetheless, this student required the services of national free-speech legal advocates, embarrassing the university and the State. Then just this past week, an ASU employee reported in an editorial to the Wall Street Journal that at least two employees involved in the arranging of speakers for a career and life advice event were recently terminated.”
“Free speech is paramount to the future of our Republic,” said Representative Smith. “Higher education taxpayer-funded universities must be held to a higher standard regarding the First Amendment,” said Smith. “I am disturbed that this trend continues to happen at Arizona State University. I have asked the Regents to do their job and seek answers immediately from Arizona State administrators.”
ASU’s statement about the closing of the Lewis Center does nothing to address the chilling effect this has on conservatives and Christians who now know they are only welcome if they stay quiet. Read about it on my stack pic.twitter.com/LggdC0bHmn
— Dr Owen Anderson (@dr_owenanderson) June 21, 2023
Smith’s letter:
Dear Arizona Board of Regents and Director Arnold:
I am writing in my official capacity to express my concern regarding the disturbing trend of apparent free speech suppression at campuses in your charge. The First Amendment protects the right to free speech, and the free speech protections guaranteed under article 2, section 6 of the Arizona Constitution are even more robust than the First Amendment. The ABOR is supposed to be the watchdog of our public universities. The hosting of the Regents Cup, which boasts support for free speech on campus, appears to be an insufficient signal in light of Arizona State University’s recent actions.
Within the past year, ASU police arrested and charged student Tim Tizon for handing out copies of the U.S. Constitution on campus. It is my understanding that those charges have finally been dropped. Nonetheless, this student required the services of national free-speech legal advocates, embarrassing the university and the State. Then just this past week, an ASU employee reported in an editorial to the Wall Street Journal that at least two employees involved in the arranging of speakers for a career and life advice event were recently terminated.
There appears to have been an a coordinated, campus-wide blowback against the event because of the conservative speakers, driving away donors from the T.W. Lewis Center. I would like to know if this action was used as an excuse to discontinue the position that funded Ann Atkinson’s position and what other options besides termination of the program were available. Further, I would like to know the details of the termination of Lin Blake at ASU Gammage.
I respectfully request the Regents to investigate ASU’s actions and provide me with a response no later than July 21, 2023. Please contact me if you have any questions and feel free to share any other information that may be relevant to my concerns. 1
1. For additional information regarding the House’s standard investigative protocols, please visit: https://www.azhouse.gov/alispdfs/AZHouseinvestigativeProtocols.pdf.