The University of Alabama at Huntsville has agreed to scrap a speaking policy a student claimed in a lawsuit stifles frees speech on campus after reaching a settlement with the student.

Josh Greer, a UAH student and president of the UAH chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, filed the lawsuit two years ago against the UA System and UAH officials alleging the policy limiting student expression to “small speech zones” violates state law and the Alabama Constitution.

The lawsuit also claimed the university’s requirement that students receive permission three university business days before engaging in expressive activity runs afoul of the law.

“The prior permission requirement, the exemptions to it, and the speech zones are an affront to the Campus Free Speech Act and the Alabama Constitution,” the suit stated.

Greer said in his lawsuit filed in Madison County Circuit Court that YAL seeks to “promote free speech as a fundamental right” and espouse against gun control and the size of government on campus.

His organization, the lawsuit claimed, became inactive following the COVID-19 pandemic, and Greer feared that he would violate the policy if he tried to recruit new members to the YAL chapter.

“Because they fear being disciplined both individually and as an organization, Plaintiffs have refrained from engaging in their desired expressive activity as described above. As a result of this self-censorship, Plaintiffs have not been able to recruit This has resulted in lower attendance and less visibility for their organization,” the suit went on to say.

On Monday, terms of the agreement were filed by Greer and the UA System and UAH: the “speech zones” would be expanded and the prior approval would not be needed, although reserving space will be “strongly encouraged.”

The national YAL organization hailed the agreement on its Facebook page.

“This one has been a long time in the making but the anti-free speech policies of the University of Alabama-Hunstville are done!” the group said. “We couldn’t be more grateful for the hard work of our activists!”

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