Freedom of Expression Policy
Georgia College & State University (GCSU) holds the First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and the right to assemble peaceably as essential cornerstones to the advancement of knowledge and the right of a free people. GCSU remains firmly committed to affording every member of the university community the opportunity to engage in peaceful and orderly exercise of these rights. Such opportunities must be provided on an equal basis and support the principle that the university should remain neutral to the views of public expression.
In order to achieve this objective, and subject to the applicable policies of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents Policies, while at the same time ensuring that the university fulfills its educational mission, the university has the responsibility to maintain a peaceful, safe environment for its campus community as well as visitors to campus. This institutional policy will help to ensure that individuals’ or groups’ rights are not abridged, while also supporting a means to maintain safety. Assuming responsibility for the use of university facilities includes ensuring that the university does not restrict the First Amendment rights of the public, students, staff, and faculty, including protecting the rights of speakers to be heard, the rights of the university community to hear speakers, and the reputation of the university as a center for free speech and scholarly inquiry.
The law permits reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions to allow for reasonable regulation of use of campus facilities to support university missions for teaching, education, research, student success, providing residential communities and other forms of learning. This policy is intended to make it possible to support the university’s goals by implementing balanced procedures.
Assembly on Campus
A. Campus Community Members
Students, faculty, staff, and their invited guests are supported in their right to assemble in unrestricted outdoor areas of the campus. They can publicly assemble on campus in any unrestricted outdoor areas of the campus under this policy and the following conditions:
· “Restricted” outdoor areas include all areas designated for athletic or intramural competition, parking lots, campus sidewalks and stairs, porches of any building,
· Amplified sound levels may not disrupt the central academic mission or normal operations of the University or the residential communities of the campus.
· No assembly, camping or use of the unrestricted outdoor areas of the GCSU campus are allowed after 9:00 p.m. or overnight without prior approval from the Office of the Dean of Students.
· No assembly can block, impair or disrupt access to or from any GCSU facility.
While reservations of unrestricted outdoor[HR2] areas are not required by members of the campus community, individuals and groups may reserve an unrestricted outdoor area by calling Facility Reservations at (478) 445-2749 or sending an email message to facilityreservations@gcsu.edu.
B. Members of the Public
As a public institution, and pursuant to Board of Regents Policy 6.5.2, individuals and groups who are not part of the campus community may access the campus for assembly
purposes under this policy and the following conditions:
· By making a reservation through the GCSU Facility Reservations Office at (478)445-2749 or facilityreservations@gcsu.edu, use of the Front Campus area bordering Hancock Street and in front of Terrell Hall and Atkinson Hall, between the flag pole and the central granite Bobcat Head medallion, is allowed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
· Amplified sound levels may not disrupt the central academic mission or normal operations of the University or the residential communities of the campus.
· No assembly, camping or use of the unrestricted outdoor areas of the GCSU campus are allowed after 9:00 p.m. or overnight without prior approval from the Office of the Dean of Students.
· No assembly can block, impair or disrupt access to or from any GCSU facility.
· Use of the campus area described herein by nonmembers of the campus community is available without regard to the content or viewpoint of expression to be conveyed during the assembly.
Use of Campus Property
GCSU is an historic campus with irreplaceable facilities and grounds; accordingly, no signs, painting, or other materials may be affixed to or placed on any GCSU facility, tree, lamp post, flag pole, fountain or other such property without approval and permission of the Office of the Dean of Students. (This policy does not apply to GCSU campus offices that need to post signage in the ordinary course of their work.)
There is a custom at GCSU of writing messages in chalk on campus sidewalks at various times of the year. This practice is acceptable to announce campus events, advocate for campus competitions, notify students of campus services and deadlines, or offer messages of support to the student body so long as water-soluble chalk is used. Other messages will be removed and are not deemed an appropriate use of campus property. Chalking, painting, or writing is not permitted on benches, trees, windows, buildings, fountains, art installations, fences, classroom chalkboards or whiteboards, in the proximity of the Front Campus Bobcat Head, or on other institutional signage or markers.
Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted as preventing Georgia College & State University from prohibiting student-on-student harassment as defined by Georgia law; from complying with federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment; or from prohibiting, limiting, or restricting expression that is not protected under the Georgia Constitution or the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, including, but not limited to, true threats or expressive activity directed to provoke imminent lawless actions and likely to produce it.
The Freedom of Expression Policy is published in the GCSU Student Handbook, made available publicly online through the GCSU website, and incorporated into various programs that onboard and orient new faculty, staff and students to GCSU. The University will share this policy with students, faculty, and staff on an annual basis.
Questions about the Freedom of Expression Policy may be directed to the Office of the Dean of Students by calling (478) 445-2090 or via email at dos@gcsu.edu.
Last Revision: July 2024
Next Review: June 2025
Effective Date: July 2022
Cabinet Approval: June 2022