The Facts: In October 2010, graffiti was painted over a GLBT event’s paintings and in November, another racially offensive painting was found. Groups reacted with protests and forums were held to discuss the issues surrounding the tunnel. Student Government sent out a survey to gather the campus community’s input about possible solutions.
Our Opinion: There is no one answer to the Free Expression Tunnel. It should be left to regulate itself. Over the past three months, things have calmed down and have displayed how the tunnel can exist without constantly disrupting the campus community.
Gauging the campus’ opinion is difficult when it is 33,000 strong, but Student Government tried after gathering questions, concerns and suggestions about the Free Expression Tunnel from last semester. Countless meetings and forums discussed the issues surrounding the incidents in the tunnel, however nothing definite came out of them. At least Student Government took an initiative, but it was futile.
They meant well, but this is not something a group of students can or should handle. The survey concluded that a majority of people who answered liked the idea of a student group to watch the tunnel. However, the Free Expression Tunnel should not be officially monitored by any group of students. Although the intentions are meant well, the group would be exercising an abridged form of censorship, especially if it was funded by student fees, and this is unacceptable.
We already have a student group monitoring the tunnel: the campus community. By us calling attention to this, we are taking action and speaking out. Also, by inaction are we saying something. Monitoring the use of the Free Expression Tunnel needs to be an initiative by the collective student body and campus community. It has been a public forum that has functioned without a moderator since it was founded. It would take more than 1,305 responses to a survey to say a specific group of students has the right to do this.
Due to the nature of the tunnel, students have always had the freedom to paint it themselves. They can use their own funds to buy paint and take their own time to make a statement, if they feel it needs to be done.
The Free Expression Tunnel is long-standing tradition that has lasted through the 40 years of changing times. Our alumni painted the tunnel in their youth and probably wrote similar things to us. Now, the Free Expression Tunnel has been quiet since the incident in November and the discussions have subsided since the Winter Break. This shows that students have control of the tunnel, whether they realize it or not. An organized group isn’t necessary to give students this power.
