Late on Monday night, Cal Poly Learning Hub sent out a mass email to students assigning them with a Cal Poly Freedom of Expression training, due on June 7 as per request of the Cal State system and Cal Poly’s Time, Place and Manner policy.
This email came after Reawaken USA’s open tabling event on March 9, however the sharing of this training has “been planned for several months and was not in response to any specific event,” according to Keegan Koberl, Cal Poly spokesperson in an email to Mustang News.
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Korberl wrote that Cal Poly has been working in collaboration with the Cal State Chancellor’s Office to prepare and assign this training to meet the requirements of California Education Code — which requires Cal States to use training programs to educate students about expressive activities.
Normally, if students don’t complete mandatory trainings on time, registration holds could be placed on their accounts. However, at this time, Koberl said that there are no plans to place registration or graduation holds on accounts in relation to this training.
“The training is intended to help students better understand First Amendment rights, learn how to exchange views in an atmosphere of respect and civility and become aware of campus policies and available reporting and support mechanisms,” Korberl wrote in his email.
Some of the key topics that the training covers is the First Amendment, the time, place and manner policy, Conduct that Creates a Hostile Environment and How to Exchange Views in an Atmosphere of Mutual Respect and Civility.
The training and CSU policy reinstate the fact that students are allowed to express themselves and any opinions or political thought they may have, on the basis of regulation of when, where and how this free speech occurs. But the actual content being discussed can not be censored.
The policy specifically is also meant to create much more organization for any free speech exercises or events. As per the policy, booking University grounds to host such events beforehand is necessary in order to proceed with any sort of on-campus movements.
“The law requires the California State University to implement mandatory training programs to educate students about expressive activities. Cal Poly is required by law to provide this training,” Korberl explained in the email.
Overall, the training takes less than 30 minutes for students to complete and will mainly focus on reinstating the first amendment and Cal Poly’s time, place and manner policy.