I’d love to know what this word salad from the Guardian about the OFS free-speech nonsense actually means for universities in practice. www.theguardian.com/education/20... - ThreadSky

carolinepennock.bsky.social • 2 days ago

I’d love to know what this word salad from the Guardian about the OFS free-speech nonsense actually means for universities in practice. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jun/19/universities-england-student-protests-guidance-regulations?CMP=share_btn_url

Comments

steviesun.bsky.social•2 days ago

Anything they want it to mean?

jamescrossland.bsky.social•2 days ago

It means lots of "thoughts and posts are my own" disclaimers.

carolinepennock.bsky.social•2 days ago

But it says we DON’T have to have regard to institutional reputation.

allmyownwork.bsky.social•2 days ago

The syntax is dreadful.

"legally use"

Wtf does that even mean?

carolinepennock.bsky.social•2 days ago

We are legally obliged to use social media?

allmyownwork.bsky.social•2 days ago

😂

hpsvanessa.bsky.social•2 days ago

I mean, about 10 years ago a member of v senior management went on a rampage saying I should be "thrown off the course" (he thought I was a PhD student) b/c I retweeted a times higher article about VC pay with a sad face emoji. He's now our current VC, so I guess that's the 'in practice' approach?

carolinepennock.bsky.social•2 days ago

I mean, it does say we are legally expected to use social media without regard to institutional reputation, so…

robertsmartino.bsky.social•2 days ago

That's what we used to call drivel.

katherineschof8.bsky.social•2 days ago

I have no idea what that is supposed to mean but on face value the second clause about reprimanding lecturers for speech looks massively illegal to me.

carolinepennock.bsky.social•2 days ago

Yup. And the first clause, about letting us act without regard to reputation, also seems unlikely to be accepted by institutions!

erichdewald.bsky.social•2 days ago

the idea of unis these days acting "without regard to any impact on institutional reputation" is laughable

carolinepennock.bsky.social•2 days ago

Isn’t it? Presumably our newish staff code is now redundant…

erichdewald.bsky.social•2 days ago

engineered obsolescence

martindbbrown.bsky.social•2 days ago

cherylmorgan.bsky.social•2 days ago

‘When I use a word’, Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’

carolinepennock.bsky.social•2 days ago

parkesland.bsky.social•2 days ago

I'm surprised they even allowed the lawyer quoted in the article to speak the truth: This isn't about free speech or academic freedom, it's about who has the power to control the norms and regulatory apparatus imposed on us. It's an exercise in elite caprice masquerading as objectivity.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply