House holds hearing for free speech policies on Virginia campuses

Molly Manning, Contributing Writer

Max Walpole, Contributing Writer

The Virginia House of Delegates Select Committee on Campus Safety and First Amendment Expression held a hearing on Nov. 20 regarding the Virginia college protests last spring against Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, as well as new policies introduced by many Virginia colleges in the months following.

The purpose of these hearings, as stated in the General Assembly listing, is to understand the free speech and safety policies at the different Virginia colleges and universities as well as “the part local and state police play in the security ecosystem; and to identify areas where we can improve state policies in order to mitigate the incidents of unrest and arrest that we have witnessed this spring.”

Scott Ballenger, a law professor at the University of Virginia, reviewed UVA’s free speech policies at the hearing, which were introduced in 2021 and previously reviewed this summer.

UVA is ranked No. 1 for free speech in the 2025 College Free Speech Rankings by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. VCU rose to number 32 this year from 184 on the previous year’s list.

Aaron Hart, VCU’s vice president of student affairs, said VCU’s new interim policies, introduced this spring but reviewed initially in the spring of 2023, were made to be more direct in addressing outdoor events and encampments.

The policies have been “tested and practiced” at the recent Board of Visitors meetings where students expressed their thoughts and opinions while complying with the policy, according to Hart.

Virginia Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Jonathan Schleffer shared at the hearing how students felt on college campuses as well as how campus law enforcement was needed. Schleffer said Jewish students now feel unsafe at their universities and that organizations, students and protests targeted Jewish students.

Schleffer also claimed Students for Justice in Palestine, a national and local student-led and founded organization, was funded by terrorists. Local SJP chapters are funded by student and activity fees, dues, local communities and fundraisers, according to the Anti-Defamation League. 

“We know that SJP has roots and support for foreign terrorist organizations to include the country of Iran,” Schleffer said at the hearing. “This is a coordinated effort from overseas to disrupt activities in America.”

Kirk Marlowe, lieutenant colonel of the Virginia State Police, said they work as a supportive agency, and while they have the jurisdiction to act and respond on their own, they generally wait to respond until called by another police agency.

Kiera Schneiderman, president of the Jewish Student Union at Virginia Tech, detailed the encampment held there. She commended the lack of force needed by police to remove protestors and claimed that student protestors targeted Jewish students.

“There is nothing wrong with criticizing Israel, there is nothing wrong with advocating for a better future for Palestinians and for wanting less of them dead,” Schneiderman said. “I want to be very clear when I say this is not what’s happening in our current state of campus protest.”

Following the invited speakers from colleges and state institutions, there was a lengthy public comment period of the hearing with 24 total speakers, some joining virtually.

One arrestee at the Virginia Tech encampment, Jack Leff, shared his experience.

“As a Jewish person, it’s horrifying to watch as speakers try to weaponize Jewish identity to engage in racism and genocide denial,” Leff said. “Let me just say as someone who was actually there every day of the Virginia Tech encampment, there was no antisemitism present, only inclusion and community.”

Other students, faculty and community members from multiple campuses including UVA and VCU also shared their experiences with their respective encampments as well as their thoughts about the campus free speech policies.

Third-year VCU student and SJP officer Sereen Haddad said she felt the structure of the meeting itself was biased and reflective of how the system treats those who are oppressed. She also said that no matter what happens in the Senate or House meetings, she will continue to advocate against injustices.

“The universities had as much time to speak as they wanted, but when it came to the actual people that were affected by the university’s policies and by their repressive acts, we only got about two minutes each to speak,” Haddad said. “I don’t necessarily put my hope into the system because I think the system has failed us so many times. The government has failed us so many times, and they have never proven to protect us. And when I say us, I mean the pro-Palestinian movement and Palestinians.”

VCUarts professor Sonali Gulati said VCU students were fulfilling VCU’s mission statement of civic engagement, improving the quality of human life and community partnerships through peaceful public assembly on April 29.

“It was very clear that three layers of armed police arrived to curb free speech and public assembly under the guise of maintaining safety and order,” Gulati said during the public comment portion.

Gulati accused the hearing of bias, pointing to its agenda leaving certain groups out of the discussion.

“You have university administrators, the police, and one student organization on this agenda,” Gulati said. “Why does the agenda not have any students, including so many Jewish students, who were there at the encampments exercising free speech?”

Delegate Charniele Herring said this was only the beginning of the conversation, and that the House will hear more from student groups in order to have a more comprehensive understanding of protocol and policy at the next hearing, which will be the morning of Dec. 16 according to the Virginia General Assembly.

“I would like more people to be there who were actually present at the encampment, and people being affected by the policy changes from the student perspective,” said Cristina Sayegh, VCU student and SJP officer who was present at the meeting.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article misspelled Virginia Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Jonathan Schleffer’s name. It is Schleffer, not Scheffler.