Re:Free Speech at Universities - Oxford and UK law (Score 5)

Extract from Oxford University's Code of Practice regarding freedom of speech (adopted by Council in 1987):

1. General duty to uphold freedom of speech
Members, students, and employees of the University are bound at all times so to conduct themselves as to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured for members, students, and employees of the University and for visiting speakers.

However, the Code does seem primarily concerned with visiting speakers rather than publication (and predates the popularity of the Web by some years). And if exercising this freedom is outside the scope of academic activity, then the expenses incurred are the responsibility of the person organising the speech, meeting etc. - not (in general) the University.

The 1986 Education Act protects (in the UK) freedom of speech and assembly within universities. However, Geoffrey Robertson QC (a distinguished UK human rights lawyer) comments that this was introduced by the government of the day because several of its own members had been prevented from speaking at universities by demonstrations (or the fear of demonstrations) against their policies.