While the relationship between free expression and the role of higher education has been a conversation in many academic circles in recent years, UR's discussion is especially relevant: Since the Charlottesville protests, our campus has faced several incidents of discriminatory attitudes and racist acts, most of them taking form in the written word. Meanwhile, a committee of students and faculty have spent the past three years working on a free speech policy that was released in May 2020, in its current form.

This episode of Beneath the Surface was written, narrated and reported by me, Conner Evans. Additional reporting was provided by Jay Welle and Grace Kiernan. The story was edited by Nina Joss. And our music, as always, was graciously provided by Nathan Burns.