Policy on Assembly, Demonstrations and Civil Discourse Activities
Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵ believes that members of the University community have the right to express their views on various issues or causes. As a center for inquiry in the search for knowledge and insight, open speech and peaceful assembly have a legitimate place at the University. However, these rights bring with them a concurrent obligation to maintain a campus atmosphere conducive to scholarly pursuits and respect for the rights of all individuals.
Accordingly, assemblies (including demonstrations, rallies, protests, etc..), however, may not infringe on the rights of others or interfere with the operation of the University. The University has an obligation to protect the safety and welfare of its students, faculty, and staff, and to ensure that its academic mission is not compromised. Therefore, assemblies must be nonviolent and considerate of the rights of all members of the Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵcommunity. Demonstrations, rallies, and distribution of materials are permissible in properly designated areas.
Procedure
All members of the Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵCommunity, including students, faculty, and staff, must seek approval to use any and all University-designated buildings, property, or facilities for staging a demonstration or rally.
- A formal application to host an on-campus civil discourse activity must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance of any requested assembly using the appropriate links below. Individuals submitting the applications will be considered as the organizers of the assembly.
- Applications will be routed to the appropriate University departments to review for all and any civil discourse activities (e.g., assemblies, rallies, demonstrations) taking place on University owned, leased or managed property. Those areas are listed below:
- Student Organized Assemblies: The Division of Student Affairs
- Faculty Organized Assemblies: Office of the Provost
- Staff Organized Assemblies: The Division of Human Resources
- Outside Sponsored Groups: The Office of Conference & Special Events
- Assemblies on city, county or state public property require permits from the appropriate granting agencies.
- Haub Law – Westchester County, City of White Plains.
- Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵNYC – New York City
- Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵPleasantville – Town of Mount Pleasant, City of Pleasantville
- Approval decisions are content neutral and not based on the subject matter of the assembly. Factors weighed in granting approval will be based on appropriate time, place and manner considerations. This includes, but is not limited to, the type of assembly (e.g., silent protest, leafleting, picketing, etc..), expected number of participants, anticipated noise level, the specific requested location (e.g., inside or outside a building), the impact on normal university operations (including meetings, classes, lectures, approved activities, reserved spaces and events, etc..), potential impacts to building egress, and the safety, security and welfare of the university community.
- Applicants may be granted full approval, conditional approval or non-approval. Conditional approval may mean the assembly is approved, but only under certain conditions and restrictions related to time, place or manner may be imposed. For example, approval may be granted to a smaller, larger or different footprint than requested, areas may be cordoned off for safety, counter-protest/assembly zones may be established, time frames may be altered, and/or alternative channels for communicating or assembling may be established. If a protest or assembly area is established by the University or law enforcement, demonstrators and any counter demonstrators are required to comply with these physical boundaries.
- Sponsors/organizers must restore the site to its original condition. If such restoration is not completed to the satisfaction of the University, the sponsor/organizer will be held responsible for and liable to the University for any and all costs incurred by the University to restore the site to its original condition.
If approval is granted for an assembly, organizers and participants are responsible for ensuring it is conducted according to the guidelines below.
Responsibilities for Conducting Orderly Assemblies
Organizers and participants are responsible for the maintenance of order for conducting approved assemblies and must abide by the specific conditions of the approval. Organizers and individual participants are also responsible for abiding by all university policies and prohibited behavior to preserve an atmosphere where the free exchange of ideas may flourish. This is critical to ensure the safety, security and welfare of all members of the Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵCommunity (including and especially demonstrators themselves) and the unimpeded operation of the institution.
The following conduct is prohibited during demonstrations/assemblies. No individual, group or entity may for example:
- Threaten, intimidate, harass, or jeopardize the safety, security and welfare of others
- Violate the University’s Discrimination, Non-Sex Based Discrimination and Retaliation Policy (PDF)
- Willfully cause physical injury to another person, nor threaten to do so;
- Physically restrain or detain any other person;
- Willfully damage, destroy, or remove campus property or property under its care;
- Use campus property or property in the campus’s care without authorization;
- Enter into any residential room of a resident student or any private office of an administrative officer, member of the faculty or staff member without explicit permission;
- Enter into and remain in any campus building or facility for any purpose other than its authorized uses or in such manner as to obstruct its authorized use or regular operation;
- Erect a tent or platform on university owned or managed property, attach signage to the exterior of Â̾ÞÈËÊÓƵstructures, or in other ways alter a campus space without prior permission, secured during the registration process;
- Remain in any building or facility after it is closed;
- Refuse to leave a campus building, facility or managed property after being required to do so by an authorized administrative officer;
- Obstruct the free movement of people and vehicles in any place, including but not limited to blocking hallways or doors;
- Disrupt or prevent the peaceful and orderly conduct of classes, lecture, meetings, events, activities or normal university operations;
- Deliberately disrupt or prevent the freedom of any person to express their views,
- Remove anyone from any place where he/she/they is authorized to remain;
- Willfully operate audio amplification equipment without an appropriate permit or in a manner that conflicts with normal University operations.
- Possess or utilize sticks, poles, torches, or similar instruments as part of their assembly and speech. Signs without sticks or poles are permissible.
- Willfully incite others to commit any of the acts prohibited in this section with the specific intent to procure them to do so; or
- Take any action, create or participate in the creation of any situation, which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of anyone for the initiation into or affiliation with any organization.
Violations of the above guidelines are considered serious infringements of community trust and standards and will result in referral and adjudication to the Office of Community Standards, Human Resources and/or Employee Relations.