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BOARD OF REGENTS OF UNIV. OF WIS. SYSTEM
v. SOUTHWORTH
Opinion of the Court

the extracurricular dimensions of its programs by using man-
datory student fees with viewpoint neutrality as the opera-
tional principle.

The parties have stipulated that the program the Uni-
versity has developed to stimulate extracurricular student
If
expression respects the principle of viewpoint neutrality.
the stipulation is to continue to control the case, the Univer-
sity’s program in its basic structure must be found consistent
with the First Amendment.

We make no distinction between campus activities and
the off-campus expressive activities of objectionable RSO’s.
Those activities, respondents tell us, often bear no relation-
ship to the University’s reason for imposing the segregated
fee in the ﬁrst instance, to foster vibrant campus debate
among students.
If the University shares those concerns,
it is free to enact viewpoint neutral rules restricting off-
campus travel or other expenditures by RSO’s, for it may
create what is tantamount to a limited public forum if the
principles of viewpoint neutrality are respected. Cf. id., at
829–830. We ﬁnd no principled way, however, to impose
upon the University, as a constitutional matter, a require-
ment to adopt geographic or spatial restrictions as a condi-
tion for RSOs’ entitlement to reimbursement. Universities
possess signiﬁcant interests in encouraging students to take
advantage of the social, civic, cultural, and religious opportu-
nities available in surrounding communities and throughout
the country. Universities, like all of society, are ﬁnding that
traditional conceptions of territorial boundaries are difﬁcult
to insist upon in an age marked by revolutionary changes
in communications, information transfer, and the means of
discourse.
If the rule of viewpoint neutrality is respected,
our holding affords the University latitude to adjust its ex-
tracurricular student speech program to accommodate these
advances and opportunities.

Our decision ought not to be taken to imply that in other
its agents or employees, or—of

instances the University,