The
U of L Student's Bill of Rights
52
Cardinal Freedoms
The
Mission of the University of Louisville
“The
University of Louisville shall be a premier, nationally recognized
metropolitan research university with a commitment to the liberal
arts and sciences and to the intellectual, cultural, and economic
development of our diverse communities and citizens through the
pursuit of excellence in five interrelated strategic areas: (1)
Educational Experience, (2) Research, Creative, and Scholarly
Activity, (3) Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Communication,
(4) Partnerships and Collaborations, and (5) Institutional
Effectiveness of Programs and Services.”i
“Whereas
disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous
acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of
a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and
belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the
highest aspiration of the common people”ii.
Whereas
even Patrick Henry had to fight
tooth and nail for the cherished and celebrated Bill of Rights 8
years after being a major, essential component of the Revolution,
when, eventually, they were begrudgingly added into the US
Constitution, 4 years after the US Constitution was ratified.
Whereas
it is the duty of every generation to declare our rights, and no
Generation prior to the 2011/2012 Generation, since 1977, thought to
include a Bill of Rights into their Constitution, even though it's a
staple in every other founding Constitution, now it's time for the
Postmodern Generationiii
to declare theirs.
“Whereas
recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of
freedom, justice, and peace in the world”iv.
“Whereas
it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a
last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human
rights should be protected by the Rule of Law”v.
Whereas,
every student at the University of Louisville (also “U of L”),
gets to enjoy the privileges and immunities guaranteed by the
amalgamation of founding documents from the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Kentucky, of the United States of America, of the
City of Louisville, of the Student Handbook of U of L, of SGA's
Constitution, in addition to the privileges of attending a
University, and any other freedom, as the 9th Amendment to
the US Constitution allows, such as inherent, inalienable,
self-evident freedoms that are not mentioned, such as human rights,
but there is no single document which compiles all of the rights of
the U of L student into a single, user friendly, easy-to-read,
comprehensive student bill of rights, guaranteeing every student's
freedoms.
By
reinforcing our generation's collective freedoms, we also reinforce
our autonomy, and can prevent all future excursions from any outside
government body—national,
state, local, or otherwise—from stealing, or restricting, our 52
Cardinal Freedoms, and counting, in any way, shape, or form
imaginable.
Therefore,
Be It Resolved, that all Cardinal Freedoms herein shall be protected
freedoms for every U of L student with this Amendment.
Cardinal
Freedoms
#1
The
Freedom To Life, Liberty, and Propertyvi.
#2
The
Freedom to Vote.
#3
The
Freedom of Revolutionvii.
#4
The
Freedom To Speak Freely Without Frontiersviii.
#5
The
Freedom of Self-Preservation.
#6
The
Freedom to Maintain Own's Dignityix.
#7
The
Freedom of Security.
#8
The
Freedom of Religion.
#9
The
Freedom of Education.
#10
The
Freedom to Enter into a Contract.
#11
The
Freedom to Petitionx.
#12
The
Freedom of Justice.
#13
The
Freedom to Peacefully Assemble.
#14
The
Freedom to Associate.
#15
The
Freedom to Organize Student Unions.
#16
The
Freedom to Work.
#17
The
Freedom to Participate in Government.
#18
The
Freedom to get Married, and
Raise a Family, Gay or Straight.
#19
The
Freedom To Openly Bare Arms.xi
Academic
Freedoms
#20
Freedom
of Research
and Inquiry.
#21
The
Freedom To Distribute Written Material Without Prior Approvalxii.
#22
The
Freedom of a Fearless Pressxiii.
#23
The
Freedom To A Syllabus.
#24
Freedom
of Privacy; the Brandeis Freedomxiv.
#25
The
Freedom To Use The University's Facilities, Such As Auditoriums, Park
Spaces, Restaurants, and Documentsxv.
#26
The
Freedom To Remain Silent.
#27
The
Freedom To File A Complaint.
#28
The
Freedom To Invite Any Speaker To Campusxvi.
#29
The
Freedom to Address SGAxvii.
#30
The
Freedom of Open Meetingsxviii.
#31
The
Freedom to Self-Identify.
#32
The
Freedom to Be Independent.
Judicial
Freedoms
#33
Freedom
from Absolute and Arbitrary Powerxix.
#34
Freedom
from Arbitrary Arrest, Detention or Exilexx.
#35
The
Freedom from Unreasonable and Unwarranted Search and Seizures.
#36
The
Freedom of Fair and Public Due Process
#37
The
Freedom to Confront Your Accusers.
#38
The
Freedom of a Speedy Trial.
#39
The
Freedom of a Jury Trial, For Matters Involving $20 or More.xxi
#40
The
Freedom To Call Witnesses On Your Behalf.
#41
Freedom
From Double Jeopardy.
#42
Freedom
from Excessive Bail and Cruel and Unusual Punishments.
#43
The
Freedom from Torture.
#44
The
Freedom to Not Be Jailed For Debtsxxii.
#45
The
Freedom of Habeas Corpusxxiii.
#46
The
Freedom to Not have the State Military Living In Your Sleeping
Quartersxxiv.
General
Freedoms
#47
The
Freedom of Leisure.
#48
The
Freedom of Culture.
#49
The
Freedom of Movement, such as Exercise or Dance.
#50
The
Freedom to Not Worry, and Be Happy.
#51
The
Freedom from Fear and Wantxxv.
#52
The
Right To Amend This Student Bill of Rights in order to Expand Your
Freedoms.xxvi
Louisville
First, Cards Forever.
iUniversity
of Louisville (herein “U of L”) Homepage.
http://louisville.edu/about/mission.html
Retrieved on March 16, 2012.
iiUN
Declaration, United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
Preamble (1948).
iiiJames
Klotter, New History of Kentucky, (Lexington:
University Press of Kentucky, 1997), 6-8; Klotter says that
Kentucky's history is divided by Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Woodland,
Prehistoric Era (1000AD-1750), and the Historic Era. Klotter had a
“Historic” mindset in 1997, before 9/11, George W. Bush, the
Iraq War, Barack Obama, and the Internet propagated all of this
information, and more, with this massive Gutenburg Printing Press
Revolution. If not postmodern, then posthistoric, but between the
two, it's clear that postmodern sounds best.
ivUN
Declaration, Preamble.
vUN
Declaration, Preamble.
vi
John Locke. “Two Treatise of Government” (1690);
Kentucky Constitution, Section 5.5, (1891).
vii
Kentucky Constitution, Section 4, (1891). “All
power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are
founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety,
happiness and the protection of property. For the advancement of
these ends, they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible
right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as
they may deem proper.”; Declaration of Independence, “...it is
the Right of the People to alter or to abolish [illegitimate
government], and to institute new Government...”
viii
“UN Declaration”, Article 19, (1948). “Everyone has the right
to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to
hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers.”
ix
UN Declaration, Article 22. “Everyone, as a member of society, has
the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through
national effort and international co-operation and in accordance
with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic,
social and cultural rights indispensable for their dignity and the
free development of their personality.”
xU
of L's SGA Constitution, Section 2.4, (1977). “All members have
the right to petition the SGA or any agency thereof for a redress of
grievances.”
xi
Bill of Rights, United States Constitution, Amendment #2, (1791). “A
well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free
State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be
infringed.”; Kentucky Constitution, Section 1.7, (1891). “The
right to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State,
subject to the power of the General Assembly to enact laws to
prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons.”
xiiU
of L's Student Handbook, Section 7.C;
http://louisville.edu/dos/policiesprocedures/student-rights-and-responsibilities-1-1.html
retrieved March 18, 2012.
xiii-
U of L's Student Handbook. Section 8.A – 8.D. “The student press
is free to deal openly, fearlessly, and responsibly with issues of
interest and importance to the academic community. There shall be no
prior approval of student press content by the University. Students
may not be disciplined by the University for their participation
with the student press except for violations of University rules
that are not inconsistent with the guarantees contained herein.”
xiv
U of L's Handbook, Section 11. “Students
have the right of privacy in campus residence facilities.
- Nothing in the University relationship or residence hall contract may expressly or implicitly give the institution or residence hall officials authority to consent to search of a student's room or residence by police or other law enforcement officials unless they have obtained a search warrant.
- The University reserves the right to enter a student's room in a residence hall or a student's apartment in a campus residence:
- in emergencies where imminent danger to life, safety, health, or property is reasonably feared;
- to make necessary repairs, improvements, or alterations in the facility;
- to provide necessary pest control services;
- to inspect the facility as deemed necessary by the University.
See
also Section 12. “The
privacy and confidentiality of all student records shall be
preserved in accordance with applicable laws. The University shall
establish and adhere to a clear and definitive records policy.”
xv
U of L's Handbook, Section 9, (2012). “Appropriate University
facilities shall be available to organizations within the University
community for regular business meetings, for social programs, and
for programs open to the public.”
xvi
U of L's Handbook, Section 7.D.
xvii
U of L's SGA Constitution, Section 2.5.1, (1977). “All members
shall have the right to address the Student Senate at regularly
scheduled Senate meetings held in accordance with Section 5.10.1 of
the SGA Constitution.”
xviii
U of L's SGA Constitution, By-Laws, Section 2. The Sunshine Laws.
xix
Kentucky Constitution, Section 2, (1891). “Absolute and arbitrary
power over the lives, liberty and property of free people exists
nowhere in a republic, not even in the largest majority.”
xxUN
Declaration, Article 9, (1948); Kentucky Constitution, Section 24.
“Emigration from the State shall not be prohibited.”
xxiBill
of Rights, US Constitution, Amendment #7 (1791). “In
Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and
no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court
of the United States, than according to the rules of the common
law.”
xxii
Kentucky Constitution, Section 18. “The
person of a debtor, where there is not strong presumption of fraud,
shall not be continued in prison after delivering up his estate for
the benefit of his creditors in such manner as shall be prescribed
by law.”
xxiii
Kentucky Constitution, Section 16. “All
prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient securities, unless for
capital offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great;
and the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be
suspended unless when, in case of rebellion or invasion, the public
safety may require it.”
xxiv
Bill of Rights, US Constitution, Amendment #3. “No
Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without
the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be
prescribed by law.”
xxv
UN Declaration, Preamble.
xxvi
U of L's Constitution, Article 8. The Amendment Process.
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