Boston University removed pride flags from outward-facing faculty office windows this month, citing a long-standing policy barring signs visible to campus. President Melissa L. Gilliam framed the action as a separation between private expression and institutional endorsement; faculty and the university’s AAUP chapter say the takedowns chill speech and target LGBTQ symbols. The dispute escalated after program and center flags were removed in fall 2025 and again over spring break, prompting public notes left on affected offices and campus debate. Professors such as Nathan G. Phillips say the university’s enforcement conflicts with BU’s public free-speech commitments and that authorized bulletin-board alternatives are insufficient. Legal scholars quoted in coverage argue universities nationwide are rethinking institutional disassociation from private speech—making BU’s case a test of how institutions police visible expressions. Expect heightened scrutiny from faculty governance groups and potential legal challenges as other campuses refine window-and-display rules.