Last November, the University of Hawai‘i released a new proposal which aims to protect the right to speech through restrictions on time, place, and manner. Though the changes may seem small, for many, this shift represents a larger concern about the ability for the campus community to express themselves honestly on campus.

Senior journalism student, Preston Ancheta, stated that he had not heard of the proposal until he was told about it during the interview. He highlighted how this lack of awareness on the topic is a major concern about what is allowed and not allowed to be discussed on campus.

Third-year political science student, Yehuda Vaknin, feels that the reasoning behind the proposal is more insidious, saying that he considers the proposal “illegal” and one that suppresses speech.

Any time that speech is affected, the concern is high. Assistant professor of law, D Dangaran, stated that the university’s proposal seems to be a response to national headlines regarding encampments and protests on college campuses.