Western Michigan University To Pay $35K Settlement In Free Speech Lawsuit

KALAMAZOO (WWJ/AP) - Western Michigan University is paying $35,000 to settle a lawsuit from a student group that said school policies unlawfully limit free speech on campus.

The Kalamazoo Peace Center sued the university last year over the group's efforts to host musician and activist Boots Riley. The lawsuit said the school hindered plans to bring him to campus, and the event was hosted off campus.

Court documents say a settlement was reached Thursday.

University spokeswoman Cheryl Roland told the newspaper that it agreed to settle the case "mostly to come to a quick resolution and to let everyone move forward." She said the school is paying $35,000 in attorney fees, but is not paying damages.

Roland said the school doesn't think it did anything wrong, and that it's making "minor changes" to event planning procedures.

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