Policy for Campus Demonstration & Other Similar Events

I. Scope

The Policy for Campus Demonstrations and Other Similar Events applies to current Goucher College students, employees, and visitors to the campus.

This policy does not apply to student organizations looking to plan an event, which should utilize the OSE Event Planning Headquarters page.

Unless expressly authorized by the Office of the President, external organization or persons who are not members of the Goucher Community are not permitted to organize a demonstration or other similar event on campus property. The Goucher Community is made up of Goucher students, faculty, and staff. Individuals or groups who are not members of the Goucher Community and who do not abide by this policy will be asked to leave by Campus Safety.

II. Policy statement

Goucher College values and promotes the right of free speech and the freedom of members of the Goucher Community to express themselves on college property. The exercise of free speech or expressions for or against issues should not violate federal or state laws and college policies.

All individuals are responsible for their speech and conduct, and exercising these rights must not infringe on the rights of other individual(s) or violate any Goucher policy. Scheduled demonstrations and other similar events will proceed unhindered unless participants violate a Goucher policy.

A demonstration is an intentional and organized public assembly of one or more members of the Goucher Community, that may take the form of a campus protest. It is a form of student and/or employee activism. Other similar events include but are not limited to vigils, encampments and other 3-D structures, sittings, and walkouts.

III. Procedures

All campus demonstrations and similar events are to be scheduled in advance to promote the safety of the Goucher Community and maintain regular college operations.

Because the College is located on private property and to maintain its academic functions, Goucher College reserves the right to limit the manner, location, and time of demonstrations and other similar events that occur on its property.

A. Scheduling

Students should schedule a demonstration or similar event with the VP for the Office of Equity and Inclusive Excellence (EIE) or a designee; employees must schedule these events with the AVP for Human Resources (HR), or a designee.

Organizers should schedule a demonstration or similar event five (5) business days in advance to allow the EIE office to meet with them, coordinate a Support Team, and communicate the event to the larger community. Support Teams are formed by volunteer faculty and staff. Organizers should provide the following information to the EIE Office at inclusion@goucher.edu or to the Office of Human Resources at hr@goucher.edu:

brief description of the event
group size expected
date
location
estimated duration
name of sponsoring club(s)/organization(s) (if applicable)
lead organizer (full name of person of contact, Goucher e-mail, and telephone number)

B. Location

Demonstrations and similar events may be held anywhere on college property that is not a place of study, work, or residence for students and staff. Permitted areas include all lawns, outdoor patios, and walkways, as long as pedestrians can pass.

In order to maintain the academic mission and functioning of the College, demonstrations and similar events are not to be held anywhere near classrooms, laboratories, research facilities, the library, college administrative offices, residence halls, private offices, emergency facilities, or any facilities housing communication systems, security, or utilities in order to maintain safety on campus. Facilities or areas containing valuable or sensitive materials, collections, equipment, records protected by law or by existing college policies such as educational records, studentrelated or personnel-related records, or financial records are off limits.

Students who are not part of a student organization may ask assistance from the EIE Office or another Goucher office to reserve a space on campus. Students may also identify a sponsor (faculty or staff) to reserve a space on their behalf.

Off-campus organizations need to reserve a space directly with Events and Conference Services (ECS) at events@goucher.edu. An off-campus organization is defined as an organization that does not have an established MOU with Goucher College.

C. Time

Demonstrations and similar events must occur during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Schedule a demonstration or similar event.

D. Follow-up

Once a demonstration or similar event has been scheduled, the EIE Office will inform the Goucher Community via email of the day, time, location, and purpose of the demonstration/event.

The EIE Office will also convene 3-5 members of the Support Team to attend the event. Members of the Support Team are mainly observers who might gently remind students of policy violations when necessary. The Lead Organizer may choose to work with the Support Team to assist with the following responsibilities.

IV. Responsibilities

The Lead Organizer should remind participants not to:

engage in intimidation, threats, discrimination, harassment, or incite violence.
isolate, exclude, or target individuals based on their actual or perceived association with a particular religious, racial, or ethnic group.
assemble tents or temporary structures or sleep outside overnight without prior approval.
enter buildings that are closed or locked, or vandalize, occupy, or control access to buildings or other college spaces.
restrict the movement of people or vehicles, obstruct the entrances and exits to buildings (remaining at least 50-75 feet away from all entrances/exits of buildings), or obstruct the visibility of those buildings.
disrupt or interfere with the expression of others, including through the defacement or covering of posted printed materials.
gather for longer than 4 consecutive hours, or for consecutive days without prior approval.
ignore or refuse to comply with the directions of college officials, including requests to identify themselves by showing a valid identification (driver license, official Goucher College ID) if requested by Campus Safety or a Student Affairs´ staff member.

In a demonstration or similar event, members of the Goucher Community will abide by the College´s Attendance Policy. Faculty will abide by the attendance expectations outlined in their syllabi. For example, some faculty members may expect students to inform them of a planned absence and turn in assignments beforehand, while others might have a strict no-absence policy unless the student follows the protocol outlined in the College´s Attendance Policy. Be that as it may, faculty will not excuse or penalize an absence based on any personal ideological beliefs and will follow the established criteria for all students. As spelled out in the faculty and staff handbooks, faculty and department chairs are responsible for providing continuity of instruction for all Goucher students, and staff and administrators are responsible for providing continuity of college operations.

Failure to comply with this policy will result in students meeting with the AVP for Student Well-Being and Dean of Students or their designee and being subject to discipline through the College’s student conduct process.

Failure to comply with this policy will result in faculty and staff meeting with the Provost or the AVP for Human Resources or their designees and being subject to discipline through the College’s personnel process.

V. Responsible office

For more information or if you have questions about this policy, please contact the Office for Equity and Inclusive Excellence at inclusion@goucher.edu. Employees, please address questions to the Office of the Provost or the Office of Human Resources.

VI. Related policies

Related Goucher College policies include:

VII. History

Adopted: November 2023; Updated February 2024; August 2024; November 2024.

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