Where do the rights of student employees begin, and where do they end?
Florida Atlantic University's policies on student employees speaking to the media have been criticized by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for potentially curtailing academic freedom and First Amendment rights. FIRE has written multiple letters to FAU requesting changes to its media policies, citing instances where student employees were discouraged from speaking to journalists.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) offers various on-campus jobs for students, but some student employees are unaware of the limitations they agreed to when signing their contracts. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has criticized FAU's policies, stating they crippled the student press and curtailed academic freedom. In 2019, FIRE requested FAU change its media policies, which required faculty, student employees, and student athletes to get permission before interviewing with the press. FAU updated its policies in 2021, but FIRE wrote again in 2023, citing continued concerns that employees may not understand their right to speak to the media. Student employees, including resident assistants and front desk staff, have reported being discouraged from speaking to journalists due to strict media training or fear of probation or termination. FIRE has also criticized the University of Utah's media policy, urging it to respect student-employees' First Amendment rights.
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