Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s own. They are not representative of The Daily Collegian or its board of editors. Last week taught Penn State students one thing: the university hides behind its policies as an excuse to censor student-run events and media, particularly regarding the 2024 election.
On Wednesday and Thursday, two separate examples of censorship occurred on campus: Charlie Kirk’s "You're Being Brainwashed Tour” hosted by the Penn State chapter of Turning Point USA , and the complete, though temporary, removal of The Daily Collegian’s indoor newsstands from campus . Both events were censored based on university policies, though the circumstances of each example significantly differed. Turning Point USA’s use of electronic audio equipment violated one of the university's policies.
According to Policy AD 51, “use of sound amplification equipment is generally prohibited between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.
m.” The university said it reminded Turning Point USA’s student leaders of this limitation before their event. However, The Daily Collegian did not receive similar notice.
Although conversations between the university and the paper occurred, Collegian leadership received no warning before the university removed 35 on-campus newsstands — three of which ran a Kamala Harris advertisement and six ran voter registration ads in the stand’s poster space. The university said the use of poster space violated AD27 Commerc.