The UM System Intercampus Faculty Council issued a policy trying to protect professors, but it could be viewed as detrimental to students as well.

This policy is responding to a previous incident regarding an out of context video posted on the Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government blog. The video defamed UMSL professor Don Giljum, causing him to step down from his position.

The proposed policy prohibits “unauthorized copying, editing and redistributing of recordings of statements or comments in the course.”

Faculty Council was unclear of the meaning of this statement and its possible interpretations. So are we.

We’d like to present a more clear definition of what we, as students, find acceptable and unacceptable for using notes and recordings.

First, note taking should obviously be allowed. In a technologically savvy world, we should be allowed to record lectures as well. In fact, not allowing us to record would be nearly impossible to enforce, and it is a helpful method for studying.

As adults, we should be intelligent enough to use these notes for class purposes only. Unfortunately, previous actions prove not everyone understands respect, integrity and the full repercussions of their actions.

We propose making notes allowable for class purposes only, whether students prefer study groups or going over recordings.

Any mass distribution of notes or recordings should require permission from the professor.

Although this policy doesn’t strongly differ from the originally proposed policy, a more definitive policy will protect students and professors.

Students should not be able to defame a professor using out of context or highly edited video recordings, nor should they be able to sell or abuse the materials.

Conversely, as students, we should be free to learn in whatever way we learn best. After all, we pay the professors, so they work for us, right?

It would also be unfair for individual professors to decide what is an acceptable way to use notes. For instance, study groups or sending notes via Listservs should have clear-cut rules, not be something professors can interpret on a whim. Professors should be free to choose their teaching methods. Students should be free to choose their study methods.

It is unfortunate these policies have to be in place, but libel laws might not necessarily protect the professor in this instance, nor will a lawsuit fix the defamation of widely-spread video. There should be a way to punish a student who abuses First Amendment rights in such a way.