AUSTIN – Ashley Crutchfield, a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, reluctantly yanked a McCain-Palin sign from her dormitory room window after she discovered it could get her kicked out of her dorm.

Or, as angry student political groups from opposite sides of the political spectrum found out Friday, such signs could get them kicked out of school for violating UT policies that ban signs of any kind from dorm windows and limit signs on dorm room doors.

The groups plan to file a formal complaint with university leaders Monday, saying that the issue is particularly timely considering the nation is weeks away from an election that saw record-breaking turnout among young adults and college voters in the primaries.

"This is an egregious infringement on our First Amendment rights, and we cannot abide that," said Andy Jones, spokesman for the University Democrats, which is teaming up with the College Republicans to protest the policies. "Each individual person is not allowed to express their political opinion in what amounts to be their own home."

"We want to increase youth-voter turnout and excitement about this election, especially with something as simple as putting out a sign supporting your beliefs or supporting a candidate," said Ryan Ellis, president of the College Republicans. "It's really disheartening."

University officials say that signs of any kind cannot be hung in windows for aesthetic reasons, so the school can avoid the campus being littered with billboards and solicitations.

And signs on room doors can cover only 20 percent of the door or they threaten the fire code, officials say.

But the school is not violating the First Amendment because the policy doesn't discriminate based on content, and because students have other places on campus where they can express their political views, said Jeff Graves of the university's Office of Legal Affairs.

For example, tables and handheld signs in the West Mall are common sights, as are demonstrations using PA systems provided by the university, he said.

"The university believes that free speech and robust debate on the issues of the day is part of the educational mission of the university, and we encourage expression and debate over ideas and views," Mr. Graves said. "So this is in no way a desire to suppress speech."

Ms. Crutchfield noticed that John McCain and Barack Obama signs have been taken down, but wonders why it's limited to politics. A sign in a nearby dorm window that reads, "Will flash for cash," was still there Friday afternoon, she said.

"Nobody's made any attempt to take that sign down," the Austin native said. "But my McCain-Palin sign is clearly offensive."