Students want to invite a highly controversial speaker.

Campusalam contains detailed and comprehensive information for the student organiser of events. In particular it contains guidelines on controversial speakers

Ask for a meeting with the students concerned so that you can be fully informed of their rationale, as well as assessing how well they have thought the matter through. Encourage them to use the relevant sections of Campusalam.

Throughout the process keep communication good; be supportive but willing to challenge any unclear thinking or reasoning that is not well supported. But make the challenge with an appeal to common ground, a shared objective.

Experience has shown that it is more effective to create a positive atmosphere, with networks of supportive relationships and open channels of communication; than an atmosphere of suspicion, scrutiny, and repression. The latter merely serves to drive problems underground, shut down on vital communication and information flow, leave vulnerable individuals without support and guidance, and close off avenues which might have been fruitful in preventing destructive activity.