BLOOMINGTON — Indiana University’s Board of Trustees have ratified an Expressive Activity Policy, to act beside IU’s current First Amendment Policy, according to a Monday press release following the meeting.
The new policy, which will be enforced on Aug. 1, will allow and support demonstrations and protests that are not disruptive to the school’s functions, or infringe on another individual or group’s expressions.
The meeting was a result of an assessment by Cooley LLP, in response to the events that took place on campus in April.
“The Dunn Meadow report validated the need to update policies that were outdated, unclear and inconsistent across IU’s campuses,” Trustees Chair W. Quinn Buckner said in the press release.
One of the goals of the new policy is to set clear expectations for conduct. The policy has outlined specific actions that are permitted, and not permitted. Expressive activity must be in compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
In a list provided to the media, here are the accepted and prohibited actions, according to the policy.
Permitted
- Assembling in public areas of campus, including IU Bloomington’s Dunn Meadow.
- Peaceful protesting.
- Making speeches.
- Carrying signs.
- Expressing views through writing, publishing or distributing literature.
- Writing with water soluble chalk on sidewalks.
- Conducting expressive activities between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.
- Public celebrations of significant IU achievements.
Not permitted
- The use of temporary structures without approval at least 10 days in advance. Unapproved temporary structures are subject to immediate removal.
- Outdoor amplified sound that materially or substantially disrupts the academic, living or working environment of the university and its neighbors.
- Placing signs into the ground, affixing them to or hanging them from university property without prior permission. Unapproved signs are subject to immediate removal.
- Applying permanent or semi-permanent markings, including spray chalk, on any university property.
- Camping at any time unless approved in conjunction with an approved university event.
The full policy, and other resources, can be found at freespeech.iu.edu/index.html.
