408.00 GUIDELINES ON DEMONSTRATIONS AND LEAFLETTING

General Provisions:

1. Cowley College supports the right of individual students, faculty, staff and student organizations to demonstrate and leaflet, provided such activities do not disrupt normal activities or infringe upon the rights of others.
2. Cowley College will not condone behavior that violates the freedom of speech, choice, assembly, or movement of other individuals or organizations. In short, responsible dissent carries with it a sensitivity for the civil rights of others.
3. Accordingly, Cowley College will take whatever steps it deems necessary to:
   a. protect the right of any individual or organization to demonstrate and publicly proclaim any view, however unpopular; and
   b. protect the freedom of speech, assembly, and movement of any individual or group that is the object of the demonstration.
4. The following guidelines apply to all demonstrations, rallies, leafletting and/or equivalent activity:
   a. Persons may not block or otherwise interfere with the free flow of vehicular, bicycle or pedestrian traffic. The right of way on streets and sidewalks must be maintained.
   b. Persons may not block or otherwise interfere with ingress and egress into and out of campus buildings.
   c. Persons shall not obstruct, disrupt, interrupt or attempt to force the cancellation of any event or activity sponsored by the College or by any users authorized to use College facilities.
   d. Persons shall not engage in harassing, physically abusive, threatening or intimidating conduct toward any person.
   e. Persons shall comply with the directions of any College official acting in the performance of his or her duty.
   f. Classes or other scheduled activities shall not be disrupted.
   g. Use of public address systems and amplified sound will not be permitted without prior approval.
   h. Where an invited speaker is the object of protest, persons may demonstrate and/or leaflet outside the building where the speech is taking place. Persons who wish to enter the building must do so as members of the audience and must give the speaker a respectful hearing. Failure to grant the speaker a respectful hearing may result in the offending person being asked to leave. Signs, placards or similar paraphernalia associated with a demonstration will not be carried into the building.
   i. The safety and well-being of members of the campus community collectively and individually must be protected at all times. The College maintains the right to define the time, place and manner in which activities occur on campus. The College will identify appropriate space for planned and spontaneous demonstrations.
   j. College property must be protected at all times.
   k. Prior approval for any such demonstration, rally, leafletting or equivalent activity shall be obtained from the Office of the Vice-President of Student Affairs.
   l. Normally the acceptable demonstration site at the Main College Campus will be the area East of the main entrance to the Brown Center.
5. Student organizations sponsoring or organizing demonstrations, rallies, leafletting or equivalent activities shall be held responsible for compliance with this policy. Student organization sponsorship in now way relieves participating individuals of responsibility for their conduct. Each individual participating in a demonstration or equivalent activities, whether sponsored or not, is accountable for compliance with the provisions of this policy. Complaints of violation of this policy may be grounds for disciplinary action against both individuals and/or the sponsoring or participation student organizations and their officers.
6. Although persons who are not members of the College student body, faculty or staff may participate in demonstrations, rallies, leafletting or equivalent activities upon invitation by a bona fide student, faculty or staff member engaged in such activity, all non-College participants are obligated to the terms of this policy. Persons who invite non-College participants may be held accountable for such participants compliance with this policy. In addition, since non-College participants are not subject to College discipline procedures, their failure to comply with this policy may result in appropriate action under State and Federal law.

Special Guidelines for Unscheduled Demonstrations

1. It is the intent of this policy to ensure that all demonstrations on campus occur with minimal threat to the safety and security of persons or facilities through proper planning and scheduling. Occasionally, events occur which demand immediate public outcry, and it is not the intent of this policy to limit the rights of students to protest such events.
2. Unscheduled demonstrations, rallies, or equivalent activities may be held by recognized College organizations, full or part-time students, and current employees of the College in the areas defined by the College provided that the activity does not interfere with any functions for which that space has been reserved in advance.
3. However, it is inappropriate for events that have been planned to circumvent the policies by claiming to be spontaneous. In deciding whether a demonstration is spontaneous or planned, the College may consider any relevant evidence, including:
   (a) whether signs or placards used at the demonstration were commercially produced,
   (b) whether participants used amplification equipment,
   (c) whether security was alerted, or media contacted, substantially in advance of the demonstration, or
   (d) whether other circumstances demonstrate advance planning by one or more organizations.

Special Guidelines for Small Demonstrations

1. Demonstrations or equivalent activities by ten (10) or fewer students, faculty or staff may occur at any outdoor area without advance reservation. Except with respect to location, such demonstrations are subject to the same policy guidelines applicable to larger demonstrations. Accordingly, the College encourages all persons planning a demonstration or equivalent activity to call or visit the Office of the Vice-President of Student Affairs to discuss those policy guidelines and how they might apply to the demonstration being planned.

Special Guidelines for Leafletting

1. College students, faculty and staff may distribute upon registration and advance approval, non-commercial announcements, statements or materials in any outdoor area of the campus, the use of which is not otherwise restricted or scheduled. Persons distributing such materials are expected to refrain from littering and may be held responsible for costs incurred as a result of littering. "Distribution" is defined as individuals handing materials to other individuals who may accept them or refrain from receiving them. Leaving materials unattended on a surface to be picked up is considered littering, not distribution. For purposes of this provision, announcement, statements or material pertaining to the sale of goods or services authorized by the College administration are considered "non-commercial."
2. Individuals not affiliated with the College may also distribute such materials upon registration and advance approval.

Adopted August 14, 2006
Revised July 21, 2008