Free Expression & Assembly — Time, Place, Manner Policy

SUNY Plattsburgh students are guaranteed the rights of free inquiry and expression. Subject to applicable content-neutral policy, students are guaranteed the right to hold public meetings and engage in peaceful and orderly assemblies including, but not limited to, protests, demonstrations, rallies, vigils, marches, and picketing—in and upon designated public areas of campus grounds and buildings.

Students may reserve available space on campus to hold events/ activities that are directly related to their role at the University. These activities must be planned, controlled, and administered by the student reserving the space.

Schools, departments, institutes, individual faculty, students (including student organizations), and staff may not serve as proxies for non-SUNY Plattsburgh affiliated organizations that may solicit them to gain access to or use of campus facilities and venues to organize or host an event on their behalf. The University will determine whether a proposed use is considered a university use or third-party use.

Demonstrations and protests will not be allowed to disrupt the academic environment, create safety issues, or violate University policies regarding time, place, and manner. If the University becomes aware of safety issues that may impact the well-being of the community or disrupts campus operations, the University reserves the right to provide alternative routes and/or locations for demonstrations, or require the activity to cease immediately.

Protecting free speech includes not interfering with the free speech rights of others, and protecting the rights of the speaker. Individuals may disagree with the speech of others and may protest, but they may not do so in a way that prevents the speaker from expressing their views or prevents others from hearing or seeing the speaker.

SUNY Plattsburgh regulates the use of its name and logo to ensure that such use is related to the University's mission, vision, and values. The University reserves the right to authorize the use of its names and logos on all products, announcements, advertisements, publications, reports, signage, and digital communications, including social media. See university Policy 5005.1 Campus Signage Policies.

SUNY Plattsburgh will not interfere with orderly assemblies in designated public areas or approved available spaces on grounds and buildings of the campus unless participants engage in prohibited activities.

Some Prohibited Activities include:

1. Conduct that prevents the orderly administration of college classes, lectures, meetings, interviews, ceremonies, and other campus events or University operations;
2. Conduct that obstructs the free movement of vehicles or of persons, including, but not limited to in any building or facility, inclusive of blocking sidewalks, walkways, roadways, city streets, hallways and doors;
3. Engage in conduct that could foreseeably cause injury or damage to persons or property;
4. Operation of laser pointers, or audio amplification equipment, bullhorns, cowbells, noise-makers, or other implements in a manner that interferes with the university’s education mission, conflicts with normal university operations, is injurious to health and safety, interferes with others’ freedom of expression, or is in violation of the City of Plattsburgh Unreasonable Noise Ordinance;
5. Constructing or erecting structures, whether or not they are anchored, including screens and/or objects requiring penetration in concrete or grass, or camping in violation of SUNY Plattsburgh Policy 5017.1, Camping on Campus.
6. Possession and/or ignition of an open flame of any type, including, torches and fireworks.
7. Possession of sticks, poles, or other objects that could be used to strike a person or inflict damage to property. (Posters or signs without handles are permitted.)
8. Light projections may not be displayed on any university building or structure without authorization from the university. 
9. Flying of drones in SUNY Plattsburgh airspace in violation of Policy 5016.1 Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Drone Policy.
10. Assemblies lasting more than one day, duration not to exceed 12 hours in one day, and assemblies between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. are prohibited. 
11. Failure to comply with the directions of college officials acting in the performance of their official duties. 
12. Activities that violate the provisions of SUNY Policy 3653, Rules for the Maintenance of Public Order:

No person, either singly or in concert with others, shall:

1. 1. willfully cause physical injury to another person, nor threaten to do so;
   2. physically restrain or detain any other person;
   3. remove anyone from any place where he, she or they are authorized to remain;
   4. willfully damage or destroy property of the campus or property under its care;
   5. remove property of the campus or property under its care;
   6. use campus property or property in the campus’s care without authorization;
   7. enter into any private office of an administrative officer, member of the faculty, or staff member without implied or explicit permission;
   8. enter into and remain in any campus building or facility for any purpose other than its authorized uses or in such manner as to obstruct its authorized use;
   9. remain in any building or facility after it is closed without authorization;
   10. refuse to leave a campus building or facility after being required to do so by an authorized administrative officer;
   11. obstruct the free movement of people and vehicles in any place to which these rules apply;
   12. deliberately disrupt or prevent the peaceful and orderly conduct of classes, lectures, and meetings;
   13. deliberately disrupt or prevent the freedom of any person to express his or her views, including invited speakers;
   14. knowingly have in his, her or their possession upon the premises to which these rules apply, any rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver, or other firearm or weapon without the written authorization of the president, whether or not a license to possess the weapon has been issued to the person;
   15. willfully incite others to commit any of the acts prohibited in this section with the specific intent to procure them to do so; or
   16. take any action, create or participate in the creation of any situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of anyone for the initiation into or affiliation with any organization.

13. Activities that violate the provisions of any other applicable laws, rules, or policies including but not limited to: 

1. SUNY Plattsburgh Freedom of Speech
2. SUNY Board of Trustees Rules for Maintenance of Order on Campus Policy
3. Faculty Rules for Maintenance of Order on Campus Policy
4. Regulations and Procedures Governing Disruptive Activities of Students on Campus and Maintenance of Order Policy
5. Camping on Campus policy
6. SUNY Plattsburgh’s Use of Facilities by Third Parties for Free Speech Policy
7. Use of Campus Facilities by Third-Party Policy
8. Board of Trustees Rules for Maintenance of Order on Campus
9. SUNY Policy on the Use of Facilities by Non-Commercial Organizations
10. The Student Conduct Manual
11. Diversity Incident (Bias and Hate Crime) Policy
12. Sexual Harassment & Sexual Violence Policy
13. Interpersonal Violence Policy (Intimate Partner Violence and Stalking Policy/Domestic Violence, Dating Violence)
14. Discrimination or Harassment Policy
15. Campus Signage Policy
16. Employee/Student Identification Card Policy 
17. Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Drone Policy
18. Workplace Violence Prevention Policy and Procedure

Students are required to show proper student identification or other identification to any faculty, staff, or student staff acting in the performance of their official duties. Students are required to carry their student identification with them at all times. 

Sponsors/organizers must restore the site to its original condition. If such restoration is not completed to the satisfaction of the University, the sponsor/organizer shall be held responsible for and liable to the University for payment of any costs incurred by the University to restore the site to its original condition. 

SUNY Plattsburgh takes compliance with this policy very seriously. Students should expect that violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action under the university’s Student Code of Conduct, up to and including interim suspension, suspension, and expulsion.