An incident at North Carolina State University in early November involving hateful words directed at President-elect Obama has sparked debate on campus about the extent to which Hate Speech is Free Speech. The debate has apparently spread to the UNC campus as well. ABC News, Chapel Hill reports:
After the controversy over racist comments spray-painted in the Free Expression Tunnel at NC State after the election, the university announced Friday that it’s named a commission to study hate crime.
UNC President Erskine Bowles gave the panel the task of reviewing student conduct rules.
Led by Dr. Harold Martin, UNC Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and former chancellor of Winston-Salem University, the group will advise Bowles on whether or not a university-wide policy on hate crime should be recommended to the UNC Board of Governors for adoption.
The 11-member Commission, which includes students, staff, and faculty, will also look at diversity orientation for all first-time students.