PITTSBURGH \u2014 Students at Carnegie Mellon University have created a coalition to make sure \u201cThe Fence\u201d remains a protected outlet of self-expression for students on campus.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can\u2019t move the goal post, especially on free speech,\u201d said Anthony Cacciato, president of College Republicans<\/p>\n
The students are once again taking a stand for freedom of speech. On Thursday, they presented the university with a petition signed by over 530 students calling for the university to accept the rules for expression on \u201cThe Fence\u201d to be written as official university policy.<\/p>\n
In July, students painted anti-Trump and anti-sexual assault messages on the fence ahead of the president\u2019s visit for the AI and energy summit.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust because something is controversial, just because something is provoking a conversation on campus\u2026where it\u2019s supposed to be the place that uncomfortable ideas are spoken about, that shouldn\u2019t be a reason to censor students,\u201d Cacciato said.<\/p>\n
The Fence was covered by the university ahead of the president\u2019s visit. <\/p>\n
Ciacciato said the action was university overreach, and now he and several other organizations are making sure it does not happen again.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very hard, especially in this day and age, where the college progressives and the College Republicans, College Democrats and the Libertarians, can all get together and say, \u2018We care about this,\u2019\u201d Ciacciato said.<\/p>\n
Macy Walker, co-president of the CMU College Progressives, also supports the petition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we see something we don\u2019t like painted on it. We as students don\u2019t come out and paint over it,\u201d Walker said.<\/p>\n
According to Cicciato, the students walked the petition straight to the president of the university\u2019s office in the Warner Building, where they had a face-to-face discussion. <\/p>\n
Cicciato told Channel 11 the petition was denied, but that it would not stop the students from trying again.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot just us, but I think every organization that cares about this will keep pushing for it. The Fence is just one thing, and I think it\u2019s connected to many other issues,\u201d Walker said.<\/p>\n
Channel 11 reached out to the university for comment, but has not heard back at this time.<\/p>\n
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