Faculty Rules for Maintenance of Order on Campus Policy

American colleges and universities have long cherished the tradition of institutional autonomy. Disruptive actions of militant students and faculty can profoundly threaten that autonomy because those actions may provoke distrust and hostility and lead to countermeasures on the part of other students, government, and public. Disruptive acts can only be compounded by vengeful reprisals, repressive legislation, punitive reduction of public or private financing of higher education that will penalize all students alike or the withdrawal of outside initiative, of grants from students alleged to have taken part in riots. In fact, it is just this situation that has led to the enactment of Article 129-A by the New York State Legislature. This article mandates a "Regulation by colleges of conduct on campuses and other college property used for educational purpose".

The procedures and policy set forth here constitute a statement which is intended to comply with that portion of the law which apply to faculty, staff, visitors, licensees and invitees. The faculty of this college believes that existing, regular academic procedures provide for adequate sanctions against faculty who engage in disruptive practices. The faculty of this college also believes that it would be both unjust and destructive of institutional autonomy for additional punitive measures or external regulatory procedures to be imposed by outside authority as a consequence of institutional discipline. Consequently,it is the attempt here to provide for adequate self-regulation while thoroughly safeguarding the cherished academic freedom and self-government which are the necessary conditions to academic greatness and to the freedom of the nation.

We recognize that demonstrations and confrontations on campuses across the nation are frequently a manifestation of deep and sometime profoundly moral discontent arising out of social injustice, public policy and, in some cases, out of inefficiency, irresponsibility and irresponsiveness within the institutions themselves. It is necessary for all members of the academic community to seek appropriate remedies, encourage necessary change and discourage disruptive action.

SUNY Plattsburgh, like other colleges and universities, is committed to encourage and preserve the free search for truth and its free exposition throughout the academic community. All members of the college are free within the law to engage in protest and dissent or support and assent in a peaceful orderly manner that does not attempt to restrain the freedom of expression, inquiry or movement of others. All members of the college have the right of free access to the activities of the institution without physical interference, harassment, intimidation or coercion. Each faculty member is obligated to conduct himself lawfully, maturely and responsibly and shares the responsibility of maintaining standards of behavior essential to the orderly conduct and safety of the college's function as an educational institution. Those faculty who disrupt the institution's orderly conduct of its affairs and who obstruct or physically interfere with the personal or property rights or safety of others will be subject to charges and possible sanctions determined through orderly procedures of due process. The situation may conceivably arise that the maintenance or academic order becomes a task beyond the powers of regularly constituted institutional agencies. In such a situation, responsible administrative officers, after consultation with the executive committees of the Faculty Senate and the Student Association, may be required to call upon assistance from civil authorities. The decision to call upon assistance from civil authorities must be made in the spirit of maintaining public order, and not out of political expediency. Thereafter, every effort should be made to restore ordinary academic processes as quickly as possible.

The foregoing statement is consonant with the personnel policies of the college and with the policy statements of the American Association of University Professors. It is based, in part, on the college "Guidelines" and on the "Resolution on Campus Disruption" of the AAUP approved at the fifty-fifth Annual Meeting May 2 through 3, 1969. 

Any faculty member who disrupts the institution's orderly conduct of its affairs or who obstructs or physically interferes with the personal or property rights and/or the safety of others may be ejected from the institution by the security officer of that institution and maybe charged with misconduct thereby subjecting himself to the kind and method of disciplinary action may, once due process has been followed, result in censure, suspension or termination of the appointment. Misconduct is a serious charge. Indeed, Article XIV of the Policies of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York includes it as one of three causes whereby the services of members of the academic staff may be terminated at any time, continuing appointment notwithstanding. Title D of this article is most specific and detailed. It notes the due process accorded the faculty member so charged. Faculty whose consciences demand that they express dissent through law violation must be prepared to accept the due processes and the penalties of the law. They should not expect amnesty either from the efforts of the law or from academic discipline of their colleagues. Acceptance of the due process and the penalties of the law in no way should be construed to relieve the faculty member so charged of charges of misconduct which might be properly brought against him/her.

Staff members of SUNY Plattsburgh, visitors, licensees and invitees of the college are subject to all civil laws and Civil Service regulations, and any of the above who interfere with or attempt to interfere with the orderly operation of the college by harassment,intimidation, disorderly conduct, loitering, criminal trespass or other illegal acts shall be ejected by the institution's security officers and shall be reported to appropriate civil authorities.