Speaker and Expression Policy*

Preamble  |  General Policy  | Guidelines | Posting and Distribution of Announcements and Event Publicity

Approved March 16, 2009

I. PREAMBLE

In accordance with its Mission Statement and The Petrean Creed, Saint Peter’s College is committed to discourse intended to seek truth and recognizes its responsibility to provide a forum for the free expression of ideas in a democracy. In the context of academic freedom, Saint Peter’s College gladly invites speakers of various persuasions and convictions to address its student body. These speakers should contribute to the educational growth or to the cultural enrichment of the students in accordance with the mission of the College. The following is a statement of policy concerning speakers on campus (“Speakers” may include prerecorded speeches/programs):

As an (North) American, Jesuit college, Saint Peter’s declares its educational goals as providing its students with an intellectual, religious, social, and personal climate. This climate will promote growth toward more cultured and competent individuals, conscious of their rights as persons and of their obligations as creatures of God, members of the human race and as global citizens.

II. GENERAL POLICY

Saint Peter’s is committed to standards promoting speech and expression that foster the maximum exchange of ideas and opinions. This statement of policy outlines principles that ensure these standards relative to the sponsored engagement of a speaker by any department chair, individual faculty member or officially recognized faculty group, officially recognized student organization, and/or administrators or administrative department (hereinafter collectively the “College Community”), subject to the conditions set forth below.

1. Members of the College Community have the right to express points of view on the widest range of public and private concerns and to engage in the robust expression of ideas. The College encourages a balanced approach in all communications and the inclusion of contrary points of view. This freedom, however, is subject to reasonable restrictions of time, place and manner, as described herein. The right of free speech and expression does not include unlawful activity or activity that endangers or imminently threatens to endanger the safety of any member of the College Community or any of the College’s students or physical facilities, or any activity that disrupts or obstructs the operations of the College or imminently threatens such disruption or obstruction.
2. Moreover, expression that to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, is grossly obscene or grossly offensive on matters such as race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, or sexual orientation is inappropriate in a college community, and the College will act as it deems necessary to educate any member of the College Community that violates this principle.
3. In all events, the use of the College forum shall not imply acceptance or endorsement by the College of the views expressed by any speaker.

III. GUIDELINES

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Student Affairs (hereinafter collectively the “Vice Presidents”) have the responsibility for administering the guidelines that follow below. In administering these guidelines, the Vice Presidents shall be advised by a Committee on Speakers and Expression, composed of students, faculty, and administrators of the College (“Committee on Speakers and Expression”). The Vice Presidents and the Committee may consider and recommend to the President revisions and improvements to these guidelines in a manner consistent with the ideals articulated at the beginning of this document. It is imperative that members of the College community thoroughly read the entire Speakers and Expression Policy before undertaking efforts to sponsor external speakers on the College’s campuses and property.

1. Events

   1. An individual member or group of members of the College Community may organize and sponsor an event at the College inviting any person to speak. For purposes of this document, an event is any public meeting organized and sponsored by an individual member or group of members of the College Community primarily for the dissemination or exchange of ideas. "Public meeting" shall not be construed to include formal academic convocations, regularly scheduled classes, or regular business meetings of any College organizations.
   2. The individual or group sponsoring such an event must reserve the place where it will occur, in accordance with registration requirements. Because of the proximity of the Quad to classrooms, sound amplification in conjunction with any presentation in the Quad during non-Meeting Hours is prohibited, as is disruption of classes in any other way.
   3. The College will make every effort to accommodate an individual member or group of members of the College Community who wish to schedule an event. Members of the College Community who invite someone to speak must reserve an adequate space in advance of the event with the appropriate Office, as follows, in accordance with that Office's regulations:
      1. Officially recognized student organizations must go through the Office of Student Activities.
      2. Department chairs, faculty and official recognized faculty groups must go through the Office of the Academic Dean.
      3. Administrators and Administrative departments must go through the Room Reservations Specialist in the Office of the Vice President of Finance and Business.

2. Procedures

   General

   1. For all events at which there is an outside speaker, the sponsoring organization/department/office must obtain prior approval in accordance with this policy using the Request for Approval of Off-Campus Speaker Form.
   2. For events sponsored by administrators or administrative departments within the areas of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Mission and Ministry, Advancement, and Finance and Business, preliminary approval must be obtained from the respective Vice Presidents.
   3. For student organizations, once preliminary approval is obtained for an external speaker, the sponsoring individual/department/organization must obtain a Professional Entertainer/Speaker Agreement from the offices of the Vice President for Student Affairs. That Agreement details all the necessary terms (costs, security requirements, transportation, etc.) agreed to by the sponsoring individual/department/organization and the speaker.
      
      After negotiating and agreeing to the terms, the speaker must sign the Professional Entertainer/Speaker Agreement first. The Agreement must be then submitted to the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) for final approval and signature at least ten business days prior to the proposed date of the event. In special circumstances, at his or her sole discretion, the Vice President may waive the ten business day requirement. (In the absence of the VPSA, the Agreement may be signed by the President.)
   4. The individual/department/organization sponsoring the event may be required to include the following statement in all its advertising, announcements, and news releases: "The presence of a guest speaker on the campuses of Saint Peter’s College does not necessarily imply approval or endorsement by the College of the views expressed by the guest speaker or by anyone else present at the event.” This statement must also be read aloud in front of the audience prior to the start of the program, if required during the approval process.

   Student Organizations

   In addition to the General procedures enumerated above, the following procedures apply to officially recognized student organizations:

   1. Student organizations may invite a speaker under the following conditions:
      1. The College has the right to assume that opposing sides of certain issues will be presented. The College may require a debate format, a panel of discussants, or an additional program in order to meet this expectation.
      2. The event should take place in a location and in a manner that does not infringe on the rights of the other members of the College Community.
   2. For events that are open to a limited audience (the College Community and their guests), preliminary approval must be obtained from the organization’s advisor, who will then submit the request to the Director of Student Activities. The Director of Student Activities has the authority to overrule approval by the organization’s advisor.
   3. For programs that are open to the whole student body and the outside public, final approval must be obtained from the Director of Student Activities and Dean of Students at least ten business days prior to the proposed date of the event. In special circumstances, at his or her sole discretion, the Dean of Students may waive the ten business day requirement.

3. Costs

   An individual/department/organization sponsoring an event is responsible for all costs (including security if such is deemed necessary by the College administration) associated with the event.

4. Access to Events

   Any event that receives financial support or other benefits of any kind from the College must be open to the College Community. If seating is expected to be limited, an equitable means of ticket distribution must be approved by the appropriate College Office, as stated in Section III(A)(3) above.

5. Literature and Publicity

   Saint Peter’s College encourages the College Community to promote their events and activities responsibly through a full range of available media. These information and communication outlets include flyers and posters on bulletin boards, chalk messages on pre-approved areas, newspaper ads, web pages, the College’s monthly calendar, WSPC radio station, the Pauw Wow student newspaper, information tables in The Quad, the Hudson Room, first floor of Dinneen Hall, and word of mouth. Communication and publicity should be conducted in a manner that is respectful of others' rights to share information and recognizes one's part in the College Community. The foremost issue in this policy is the safety and security of the College, its students, faculty, staff, administrators, guests and facilities. Many of the restrictions exist to ensure safety and respect for all. (For more details, refer to Section IV, “Posting and Distribution of Announcements and Event Publicity.

6. Protest of Events

   An individual or group wishing to protest at an event may peacefully do so as long as any speaker's right to free speech and the audience's right to see and to hear a speaker are not violated and there is no actual or imminently threatened disruption or obstruction of the operations of the College.

7. Potentially Controversial Speakers

   In the case of a potentially controversial speaker, approval of the speaker may be granted in the discretion of the Vice Presidents based on a variety of factors. These factors include adherence to the College’s mission and the safety/security of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and guests. The Vice Presidents may discuss the potentially controversial speaker and the above factors with the Committee on Speakers and Expression. Final approval as to a potentially controversial speaker will be determined by the President, in his/her sole discretion, pending the advisement of the Vice Presidents. Saint Peter’s College reserves the right to exclude events, speakers, or groups whose nature or presentation is contrary to or inconsistent with the College’s Mission Statement. This determination shall be at the sole discretion of the President or the President’s designees.

8. Disciplinary Procedures

   1. Violations of the policy and/or guidelines by students will be handled through the Office of the Dean of Students.
   2. Violations of the policy and/or guidelines by department heads, faculty and officially recognized faculty groups will be handled through the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
   3. Violations of the policy and/or guidelines by administrators and/or administrative departments will be handled through the Office of the Vice President of Finance and Business.

IV. POSTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENT PUBLICITY

Posting and distributing announcements and publicity materials on College property is a privilege, and the College, therefore, reserves the right to regulate the posting and distribution of all notices. All materials must respect the rights of others as well as the goals and principles of Saint Peter’s College. The content of all flyers/posters must conform to our Catholic, educational environment.

MATERIALS WILL NOT BE APPROVED IF THEY CONTAIN:

1. Any reference to illegal substances;
2. Offensive language and/or graphic illustrations;
3. Language and/or graphic illustrations that dehumanize individuals based on sex, race, marital status, color, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation or veteran’s status; or
4. Any information that would violate local, state, or federal law, or College policies.

This policy has been designed to:

• ensure that any individual member or group of members of the College Community have equal access to common posting areas;
• avoid violations of fire and safety codes; and
• preserve the cleanliness and aesthetic quality of the campus.

The guidelines enumerated below are effective immediately and apply to any individual member or group of members of the College Community. The buildings and areas to which these guidelines apply are as follows: Dinneen Hall, McDermott Hall, Pope Hall, Gannon Hall, and The Quad. Other locations, such as the Recreational Life Center and residence halls, are governed by the policies mandated by the supervising departments.

1. Posting of Flyers/Posters

   1. Flyers and posters may be placed on or in the following areas, with the listed devices:
      • FLYERS: designated bulletin boards located in hallways, stairwells, dining facilities, and the Quad – PUSH PINS or THUMBTACKS
      • POSTERS: walls, columns, etc., which contain tiled surfaces (ceramic, marble, etc.) - MASKING TAPE
        
        [Scotch Tape or Staples MAY NOT be used on ANY SURFACE. Flyers/posters put up with staples, scotch tape, or other wall-damaging adhesive, will be removed immediately.]
   2. Areas/surfaces where flyers/posters are NOT permitted to be posted:
      1. painted surfaces of any kind [includes walls, corridors, stairwells, etc.]
      2. glass surfaces (mirrors, windows, etc.);
      3. doors of any kind;
      4. floors and sidewalks;
      5. lockers;
      6. restrooms;
      7. the Quad’s benches, trees, and trash receptacles:
      8. street/sidewalk levels of the College’s property;
      9. in or around the area of the Recreational Life Center (RLC); and
      10. anywhere on the Pedestrian Bridge, its stairwells, elevators, etc.
      11. fences.
   3. FLYERS, which may be posted on bulletin boards, walls, columns, etc., MAY not EXCEED 8 ½” x 14” in size.
   4. POSTERS, which may be posted only on walls or columns (per Section IV(A)(1) above) may not exceed 22” x 28” in size. Exceptions to this size may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
   5. Announcements and publicity material must include all pertinent information regarding the event, i.e., the FULL name of the sponsoring individual or organization, the purpose of the event, time, and place of the event, and admission cost, if any.
   6. Approval Process
      1. For officially recognized student organizations, all flyers/posters must be approved in advance by the Office of Student Activities. Once approved by the Director or Assistant Director of Student Activities, or their designees, the flyers/posters must be stamped with the “APPROVED FOR POSTING” stamp to show official approval. No student organization member will be allowed to stamp a flyer or poster. An extra copy of the flyer must be provided for the Office’s Information Book. [Refer to Section IV(B)(3)(a) below for additional flyer guidelines.]
      2. For department chairs, faculty, officially recognized faculty groups, administrators and/or administrative departments, all flyers/posters must be approved in advance by the Office of Student Affairs. Once approved by the secretaries to the Vice President for Student Affairs and/or the Dean of Students, the flyers/posters must be stamped with the “APPROVED FOR POSTING” to show official approval.
      3. The “APPROVED FOR POSTING” stamp on each poster and flyer template will list the date when the item must be removed.
      4. Flyers and posters must be submitted for approval at least one week before the scheduled date of the event/program. If submitted less than one week before, both offices (Student Affairs and Student Activities) reserve the right to REFUSE APPROVAL.
      5. The sponsoring individual/organization/department is responsible for posting the flyers/posters in a manner that does not circumvent College policies or infringe on the rights of other internal organizations and departments to post their material.
      6. The sponsoring individual/organization/department is responsible for the removal of its flyers/posters no later than two class days after the event. The cooperation of the sponsoring individual/organization/department is critical in maintaining the appearance and cleanliness of the College’s bulletin boards, walls, and hallways.
      7. External groups may not post their own material. A MAXIMUM of five (5) flyers may be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs for approval. A student worker will post the approved material on designated bulletin boards.
   7. Each individual member or group of members of the College Community will be allowed a maximum of 50 flyers or 20 posters to be approved for each event.
   8. Only one flyer OR poster per event, per individual/organization/department may be placed on the same bulletin board or wall space.
   9. During Student Senate election periods, additional guidelines will be developed by the Office of Student Activities to assure the fairness of the election process.
   10. Personnel from the offices of Student Activities and Student Affairs, and/or the Maintenance Department will periodically check all bulletin boards and surfaces to ensure that the guidelines enumerated in this policy are being followed. Failure to follow these guidelines will result in immediate removal of the individual/organization or department’s flyers/posters. Repeated violations of these policies will result in the indefinite suspension of posting/distribution privileges.

2. Distribution of Flyers

   1. Only individual members or group of members of the College Community are permitted to distribute event announcements and publicity materials on campus.
   2. Distribution of announcement and publicity material (flyers, etc.) by hand delivery is generally limited to the Hudson, Pavonia, and Chetwood Rooms, and the Quad. All such material must be approved by the offices of Student Activities or Student Affairs before it is distributed. (Please Note: Distribution of flyers and other material in the residence halls is governed by the policies set forth by the Office of Residence Life.)
   3. Approval Process
      1. For officially recognized student organizations, all ORIGINAL FLYER TEMPLATES must be approved by the Office of Student Activities BEFORE duplication occurs. Once approved by the Director or Assistant Director of Student Activities, or their designees, the FLYER TEMPLATE will be stamped with the “APPROVED FOR DISTRIBUTION” stamp to show official college approval.
      2. For department chairs, faculty, officially recognized faculty groups, administrators or administrative departments wishing to DISTRIBUTE FLYERS in the areas listed above in Section IV(B)(2), all flyers/posters must be approved in advance by the Office of Student Affairs. Once approved by the secretaries to the Vice President for Student Affairs and/or the Dean of Students the FLYER TEMPLATE will be stamped with the “APPROVED FOR DISTRIBUTION” stamp to show official college approval.
   4. Duplication, Cost, and Number Allowed: Officially recognized student organizations are governed by the printing and budgetary policies detailed in The Nexus, the student organization guidebook. College department chairs, faculty, officially recognized faculty groups, administrators and administrative departments are governed by the copier policies established by the College and its area vice presidents and deans. The suggested maximum for the number of flyers per event is 1000.
   5. Any individual member or group of members of the College Community approved to distribute announcements and publicity materials are to keep the following points in mind:
      • it is preferable that materials are placed on a table accessible to students who wish to take the materials;
      • no one should be imposed upon or pressured to take materials;
      • the College encourages everyone to recycle materials removed from bulletin boards and walls (recycle bins are located throughout the campus).

    

   * With thanks and appreciation to our sister Jesuit institution, Georgetown University.