That the First Amendment applies on the public university campus is settled law. Public universities have long occupied a special niche in the Supreme Court’s First Amendment jurisprudence. Indeed, the Court has held that First Amendment protections on campus are necessary for the preservation of our democracy.
Sweezy v. New Hampshire, 354 U.S. 234, 250 (1957)...
Keyishian v. Board of Regents, State Univ. of N.Y., 385 U.S. 589 (1967)...
Healy v. James, 408 U.S. 169, 180 (1972)...
Papish v. Board of Curators of University of Missouri, 410 U.S. 667 (1973)...
Widmar v. Vincent, 454 U.S. 263 (1981)...
...Unlike public universities, which are of course government actors, private universities are not legally obligated to uphold the First Amendment rights of students on campus....