UCLA Lifts Campus Ban on Business Fliers

UCLA has lifted a campus ban on the distribution of commercial fliers after Westwood merchants protested that their free speech rights and ability to compete fairly with the university’s retail and food services were being compromised.

At a meeting last week, university officials decided to modify the guidelines that regulate the on-campus distribution of material, UCLA officials said Monday.

“I don’t think the university was intentionally trying to stifle free speech,” said UCLA Assistant Vice Chancellor Robert Naples. “I think they were looking at it as dealing with commercial speech on campus. But it was very clear that we needed to allow that literature to be distributed.”

More than 100 Westwood business owners signed a petition last month demanding a change in the distribution policy and a moratorium on campus development that they say is costing them customers.

“I really do consider this a major victory,” said Gary Avrech, publisher of the Student Shopper, an advertising publication distributed on local campuses.

“At least now [businesses] will have an opportunity to hand out fliers on campus, and hopefully the university will take other steps to mitigate damages they’ve done to Westwood.”