Lawsuit Nudges Ohio College To Ease Speech Restrictions

Consider it a legal heads-up

Columbus State Community College wants to create new free-speech rules two weeks after a student sued the school over its existing practices.

Since 2001, college guidelines have allowed public speech and assembly in only two sites on campus. To use one of the sites, individuals and groups must ask the college for permission in writing at least 48 hours in advance.

But under a proposal that the college board of trustees is to consider today, anyone –– without notifying the college –– can use "any publicly accessible outdoor area" of the Downtown or Delaware campuses.