The women's college applied its first policy governing demonstrations and protests just days after a student protest group ended its sit-in demanding extensive diversity training for trustees and faculty. Students for a Better Salem also demanded hiring quotas for nonwhite administrators, trustees and faculty.
The women's college applied its first policy governing demonstrations and protests just days after a student protest group ended its sit-in demanding extensive diversity training for trustees and faculty. Students for a Better Salem also demanded hiring quotas for nonwhite administrators, trustees and faculty.
The women's college applied its first policy governing demonstrations and protests just days after a student protest group ended its sit-in demanding extensive diversity training for trustees and faculty. Students for a Better Salem also demanded hiring quotas for nonwhite administrators, trustees and faculty.
Demonstrations and Protests Policy (Effective April 24, 2017)
A, Purpose
Salem College recognizes that the exchange of ideas is vital to the academic, cultural, and social
life of the College, The College is also committed to operating in a manner that supports the health,
safety, and welfare of all members of the College community and protects College property. The
College respects the right of each community member to participate in the daily activities of the
College (such as attending class, programs, and meetings) and to be free from coercion and
harassment and, therefore, prohibits disruptive conduct on its premises that interrupts its proper
operations, Thus, the College has adopted this Demonstrations and Protests Policy (this “Policy”.
B. Scope
This Policy applies to protests, demonstrations, sit-ins, pickets, and other activities of this kind
conducted on College property by current students of the College (“Demonstration” or
“Demonstrations”). “Demonstration” or “Demonstrations” shall refer to the activities of one or
more persons, Demonstration members assume responsibility for the consequences of their
actions. This Policy applies to current students of the College. Any person or group other than
current students and employees of the College is referred to in this Policy as “Third Parties.”
Parties may not protest, demonstrate, sit-in, picket, or engage in activities of this kind on College
property for any reason. This Policy may be used in concert with the applicable policies stated in
the Salem College Student Handbook.
The posting or distribution of flyers, signs, posters, banners, bulletins, easels, or other materials
C. Policy
Current students may gather on College property for the purpose of Demonstrations, provided they
abide by the following requirements:
1. No Demonstration may interfere with the orderly operation of the College. For example, no
Demonstration may obstruct, disrupt, or interrupt any class, approved student activity, function of
College offices, or College-sponsored event.
2. No Demonstration may interfere with the free flow of vehicular, bicycle, or pedestrian traffic or
otherwise block stairways, hallways. doorways, or entrances to buildings. The right of way of all
streets, sidewalks, thoroughfares, and byways shall be maintained at all times.
3. No Demonstration may violate fire code regulations or safety requirements for any space or
location the Demonstration occupies.
4. All Demonstrations shall take place within the location specifically designated by the Office of
Public Safety. To assist the College in designating an appropriate location, the Demonstration
organizer(s) must provide the Chief of Public Safety with advance written notice of the planned
Demonstration as set forth below. The Chief of Public Safety will notify the Demonstration
organizer(s) of the approved location.5. No Demonstration may harass, abuse, threaten, or intimidate any person or coerce any person
to participate in the Demonstration.
6. NoDemonstration may discriminate against any Demonstration participant based on race, creed,
color, religion, age, sex, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.
7. No Demonstration may use a public address system or any other form of sound amplification
device. Demonstration noise level will be monitored and enforced by the Office of Public Safety.
8, Demonstrations may take place only between 9 am and 9 pm.
9, Demonstrations may not take place on Reading Day or during the final exam period.
10, No Demonstration may involve overnight tenting or camping.
11, No Demonstration may involve the promotion or sale of commercial merchandise.
12. No Demonstration may involve the solicitation of any person for monetary gain or other
commercial purposes.
13, No Demonstration may charge admission to participate.
14. No Demonstration may otherwise violate any College rules, policies, or procedures or any
applicable laws or regulations.
D. Notice to College
Current student(s) planning to conduct a Demonstration shall register their intent to conduct a
Demonstration by submitting advance written notice to the Chief of Public Safety no less than
forty-eight (48) hours before such Demonstration. In order to facilitate efficient and effective
communications, such notification shall include: (i) the name, cellphone number, and e-mail
address of the current student(s) organizing the Demonstration; (ii) the date and time of the
Demonstration; (iii) a general description of the Demonstration; and (iv) the expected number of
participants. Notifications of intended Demonstrations submitted without individual contact
information and the additional information requested in this. section will be returned to the
registrant(s) for completion and may be resubmitted.
E. Identification and Enforcement
Since Third Parties may not apply for or participate in Demonstrations on College property, any
person participating in a Demonstration may be required to provide identification, either in the
form of a College photo ID or governmentally issued photo ID, to the Office of Public Safety
before entering College property and while participating in a Demonstration.
‘Students participating in Demonstrations shall conduct themselves in accordance with this Policy,
other applicable College policies, and all laws and regulations. This Policy shall be interpreted and
enforced by the Office of Public Safety and, where applicable, local law enforcement authorities.
Refusal to cooperate with requests of Public Safety Officers while performing their job
considered a failure to cooperate with a college official and may result in disciplinary action.
Violations of this policy will be handled by the Student Affairs Deans (or the Fleer Center Deansfor Fleer students) through the administrative hearing process set forth in the Student Handbook.
As stated in the Student Handbook, sanctions may include the loss of social privileges, warnings,
probation, suspension, or expulsion.
F, Responsibilities
Any student(s) who organize(s) a Demonstration shall be responsible for: (i) cleaning College
property following the Demonstration; and (ii) paying for any and all damage to College property
caused by Demonstration participants during the Demonstration. The responsibilities set forth
herein shall not limit the individual responsibilities of each Demonstration participant.