GLENDORA — Citrus College is facing a lawsuit over a policy one student says restricts his free speech.

Attorney Carol Sobel of the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a national group concerned with protecting civil liberties on campuses, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

Student Chris Stevens, 20, contacted FIRE with complaints that the college limits free speech through a policy that restricts student demonstrations to three designated areas on the 12,000-student campus.

Stevens said he was threatened with possible expulsion and arrest if he violated the policy.

He also took issue with the college's practice of allowing "officially recognized" groups to hold events outside of the designated free speech areas. Under college policy, unrecognized groups or individuals don't have that ability.

College officials said the policy is intended to protect student safety, not hinder freedom of speech.

In a May 7 e-mail to college officials, Stevens asked for permission to march freely throughout the campus in celebration of the coalition troops' success in Iraq.

A response from the college stated anyone can walk or march through the campus as long as they don't "disrupt various functions." Additionally, Stevens was ordered to stay within the designated areas if he wanted to deliver an address.

Stevens said he tried to form a "recognized" club, but the college was unable to provide an adviser.

Citrus President Louis Zellers said Tuesday college attorneys are now recommending the free speech area policy be temporarily suspended until it can be revisited.

"I believe I have the authority to suspend it under these conditions," Zellers said.

Last week Stevens attended Citrus College's board meeting and asked for a hold on its free speech area policy.

No action was taken.

"I call on you to tear down the barriers to speech and declare all of Citrus College a "free speech area"' Stevens wrote in a six-page letter to Zellers dated May 1.

Several people countered Stevens' recent board presentation by speaking in favor of the policy.

Arnold Rollin, associate dean of students, said other colleges have free speech zone regulations and some of those are even more stringent.

Ruben Hoyos Jr., president of the Associated Students of Citrus College, said the association "held an emergency meeting" and unanimously voted to support the college's policy.

John Fincher, a Citrus professor of speech communication and director of forensics, said Stevens' argument doesn't make sense.

Citrus isn't alone in its efforts to regulate student speeches or rallies. Other area community colleges report having similar policies.

Andy Howard, dean of planning and development for Rio Hondo Community College in Whittier, said the campus has two free speech areas for students.

Howard recalled one incident in which a student refused to go into the area and school officials directed her back into it. Other than that, he said, the college hasn't had complaints from students about the free speech areas.

Officials from Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut and Pasadena City College also said their campuses have policies or areas for student rallies and demonstrations.

FIRE, however, has pledged to "send a clear message: colleges and universities that decide to restrict free speech must face the moral and legal consequences of that decision."

On April 22, FIRE filed a lawsuit against Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania for policies that affect students' free speech.

In March, Stevens put Citrus College in the national spotlight after he contacted FIRE about an assignment given by former speech teacher Rosalyn Kahn.

Several other students in Kahn's Speech 106 class complained of being given an extra-credit assignment to write anti-war letters to President Bush. Another extra credit assignment involved writing to a local state representative to protest state funding cuts that could impact part-time faculty, students said.

Students who wrote opposing views received no credit for the assignments.

Kahn, who was placed on paid leave, denied all of the allegations.

In March, FIRE praised Citrus College for "avoiding a legal nightmare" by taking quick action against Kahn.

Zellers wrote letters of apology to Bush and state Sen. Jack Scott, D-Pasadena, asking that the student letters be retracted. The college hired a replacement teacher and any extra credit for the letter-writing assignments was expunged.

The college's insurance carrier interviewed students and accepted sworn affidavits on the incident, Zellers said.

"I'm not privy to what the final outcome was," he said.