A university is meant to be a place where the free exchange of ideas is fostered. It should be a safe haven to anyone who wishes to share intellectually with others.

It should not be a place where a premium is placed on advertising, though.

With the restrictions on the posting and distribution of materials update in September 2009, it seems the issue of free exchange of thought and personal growth versus advertisement has become clouded.

The policy – No. 138.1 in the Eastern Internal Governing Policy – states that “No announcements, advertising, signs or printed matter may be placed on the interior or exterior walls, windows, or doors of any building (except in residences as permitted by Office of University Housing and Dining policy, in individual offices, or on designated posting areas), on trees, lamp posts, trash containers, fences, sidewalks, grounds or equipment of the University.”

The shortest version of the lengthy policy is that, barring certain exceptions, such as registered student organizations and off-campus public service organizations, in almost every situation, almost anyone who wishes to post any type of notification cannot without advanced permission granted by the Campus Scheduling Office.

While we understand the logic behind the policy, it is simply overkill.

To anyone who wanders Eastern’s campus with his head up has most likely noticed the various fliers and posters that occupy bulletin boards around campus. Until the fall 2009 semester, virtually anyone could post items on said boards without permission.

This sometimes led to the posting of offensive materials, posters featuring incendiary content. However, more often than not, posters merely advertised a student offering guitar lessons, a group on campus holding an event, or someone looking for someone to sublease their apartment.

The apparent logic behind the new policy is that without some type of control or monitoring, anyone can post anything and all hell will break loose. Riots in the streets shall ensue; Old Main will burn to the ground.

The more likely reality, though, is that even if anyone could post anything he wanted, some might be offended by what they saw, but, ultimately, common sense and human reason would prevail. An offensive poster or flier can always just as easily be dealt with as anything else offensive in this world, turn your head and walk away.

But perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the policy is that the university is effectively controlling a large, visible aspect of communication among students and student groups.

Since the policy went into effect in September, we have received various accounts from both students and faculty expressing frustration over the implementation of the policy.

Some were unaware that permission was necessary for posting. Some said they received permission only to find their flier or poster torn down the next day.

The university may have good intentions in trying to minimize offensive material posted around campus or even streamlining bulletin boards to feature what it deems worthy of being posted.

But, as a university should be a place for free exchange of ideals and thought, this policy goes a long way toward eradicating much communication of those ideals and of the goings on of groups on and off campus.

The university may have good intentions, but we all know where the road paved with those leads.