Identity of Speakers
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Mun Choi
Faculty/Staff
OtherPresident of the University of Missouri System
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Social media
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
University administration invoked formal speech code in response
University administration changed university policy as a consequence
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
On September 17, 2025, University of Missouri System President Mun Choi, along with Provost Matthew Martens and Vice President of Human Resources Marsha Fischer, issued a formal message to all faculty and staff addressing employee speech and responsibility. The communication emphasized the importance of responsible use of free speech, particularly on social media platforms. While affirming employees’ rights to express personal opinions, the message cautioned that speech leading to “workplace disharmony,” “impeded performance,” or “impaired working relationships” could be subject to disciplinary action. The letter noted that the university’s interest in maintaining efficient operations may, in certain circumstances, outweigh individual rights to free expression. It specifically reminded employees that their conduct, even outside of work, could affect the university’s operations and professional environment.
The directive came amid nationwide controversy over public employees’ comments regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The university emphasized that such posts could disrupt working relationships and create a tense environment for colleagues. First Amendment experts cautioned that broad interpretations of such policies could risk infringing on employees’ constitutional rights, while critics argued that warnings like those issued by the University of Missouri could suppress lawful expression and create a chilling effect on speech.
