The Board of Trustees voted Wednesday to approve a new free speech resolution from the Ohio Revised Code. 

The Ohio Revised Code section 3345.0251 states that college students have a “fundamental constitutional right to free speech.” 

Kent State President Todd Diacon presented the resolution to the board.

“This resolution responds to two pieces of recently passed legislation committing public universities to embrace a freedom of speech,” he said. “We have existing policies for free speech and the support for free speech … spread across our campus.”

The item will be brought for further consideration at the board’s December meeting. 

Kent State has previously supported freedom of expression on campus and has published a Freedom of Expression Report. 

“Kent State University does not prohibit any member of the Campus Community from engaging in noncommercial expressive activity on campus, so long as the individual’s conduct is lawful and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the institution,” the report states.

The Board of Trustees also voted to rename the northwest end of the Lester A. Lefton Esplanade by the architecture building in honor of Ronald A. Pizzuti, a Kent State alum, founder of the Pizzuti Companies and former trustee. 

The Kent State Board of Trustees will have its next meeting Dec. 7.

Grace Springer is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].