Florida Atlantic University: Media Policies Silence University Personnel and Hamper Student Journalism

In October 2019, FIRE received reports that Florida Atlantic University policies required university personnel—including faculty and student employees—to receive permission from the university before speaking to the media, including student reporters. This  frustrated student journalists’ ability to adequately cover campus events. FIRE wrote to FAU on November 15, and continued to work with the university over 17 months to revise its media policies. In June 2021, FAU announced its new media policies, which now make clear that personnel may speak to the media in their individual capacity on matters of public concern without advance permission.