The Wesleyan University Student Assembly (WSA) is reviewing a student-led petition seeking to end funding for the student-run newspaper, The Wesleyan Argus.

The petitioners took issue with an op-ed that ran in the newspaper recently that was critical of the Black Lives Matter movement. The newspaper's executive editor, Gabe Rosenberg, told The Associated Press The Argus "is not a perfect place," but supported its First Amendment right.

Michael Roth, Wesleyan's president, released a statement co-signed by the school's provost, Joyce Jacobsen, and vice president, Antonio Farias, titled "Black Lives Matter and So Does Free Speech," clearly coming out in support of The Argus. Frank LoMonte, director of the Student Press Law Center in Washington, told The AP this situation is unique, as students do not typically clash with their student-run newspaper.

"It is worrisome when you see students wanting to silence disagreeable opinions," he said. "It doesn't seem like you can punish people into being more open-minded."

A contributor named Bryan Stascavage wrote the op-ed in question. Published on Sept. 14, the piece granted that Black Lives Matter is effective in gaining support and generating discourse, but is not encouraging peace, The Hartford Courant reported.

The WSA cannot take action from a petition and will need to introduce a resolution in order to de-fund The Argus. WSA President Kate Cullen told the newspaper there is no such resolution at this time.

The petition at Wesleyan came to light while the issue of over-sensitivity on the college campus is on the forefront. The University of California system recently introduced a proposal for a policy aimed at outlawing intolerance on campus, which was deemed potentially threatening to students' First Amendment right to free speech, The Los Angeles Times reported.

President Obama also tackled the issue during a speech in Des Moines, Iowa, referencing petitions to dis-invite guest speakers who previously made controversial remarks. Obama recalled being infuriated by certain things his college classmates said, but believed having those opposing viewpoints only refined his own.

Wesleyan is regarded as fostering a liberal, progressive atmosphere among students like the one Obama described at his speech.

"In the long run, Wesleyan will be a much more caring and inspiring community when we can tolerate strong disagreements," Roth, Jacobsen, and Farias said in their statement. "Through our differences we can learn from one another."

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