In an effort to surpass its rivals Queen's and Carleton in political correctness, the student union at Lakehead University has passed an
amendment to its constitution that enforces a "civil atmosphere" amongst its clubs. The new rules state:
- Campaigns must be positive in nature and cannot slander the opposing stance of the campaign
- All club publications shall not have content that may be deemed as offensive or in bad taste to any identifiable group
- Members of the club are not allowed to impose belief(s) or practice(s) of the club to anyone who does not give them consent to outside of the club’s meetings
Clubs at the university will be allowed to set up booths but are not allowed to approach students. According to the union, this ensures that no one will have beliefs or views "imposed" upon them. The new rule outlaws unsolicited distribution of material, say an advertisement for club-sponsored charity event or lecture. It is not clear whether the student union wishes to extend the freedom from belief imposition to the classroom where, according to my sources, students are routinely subjected to views, beliefs and opinions.
As to the ban on clubs doing or saying anything critical or offensive, the student union retains the authority to decide what is and what is not acceptable.
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