POLICY

Ramapo College of New Jersey (hereafter “the College”) is committed to ensuring community engagement by students having the constitutionally protected right to exercise their freedom of speech and assembly. The Student Expressive Activity Policy dictates the time, place, and manner of expressive activity on College property (and property maintained, used, occupied, or controlled by the College), so that expressive activity may occur while maintaining typical College functions and protecting the freedom and safety of all members of the community.

When applying this policy, the College will remain content-neutral, meaning that expressive activity will not be limited based on the content or viewpoint of the expression, or the perceived or real reaction to the expression. All students and student clubs and organizations are subject to the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct found in the Student Handbook. The College, inclusive of those students involved in the expressive activity, will take all appropriate steps to ensure the activity is carried out in a safe and respectful manner. The safety of those involved in the expressive activity and those witnessing, participating, or learning of the activity are of primary importance and the activity may be subjected to limitation or elimination. Some examples of reasons for limitation or elimination may include but are not limited to, threats to harm other persons, causing harm to others, substantially interfering with the rights of others to learn, work, sleep, and study, destruction of property, or violations of the Code of Conduct, local, state, or Federal laws and regulations.

REASON FOR POLICY

The purpose of this policy is to emphasize that Ramapo College supports and affirms a
student’s right to freedom of speech and assembly and to provide proper guidelines and procedures surrounding the expression of these freedoms.

TO WHOM DOES THE POLICY APPLY

All Ramapo College students and student clubs and organizations.

RELATED RESOURCES

• Student Code of Conduct
• Interim Suspension of Clubs and Organizations Policy
• Interim Suspension Policy
• Events & Conferences Policies & Guidelines
• Posting Policy
• Social Media Policy
• Chalking Policy

CONTACTS

• Office of the Dean for Students / Vice President for Student Well-Being
• Office of Events & Conferences
• Department of Public Safety
• Center for Student Involvement
• Office of Student Conduct

I.       Definitions

• Expressive Activity: Expressive Activity refers to forms of student expression that occur on College property and fall within the ambit of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which may include, but not be limited to:
  • Protests, demonstrations, rallies, vigils, sit-ins, marches, picketing, and other events by students and student clubs and organizations;
  • Distribution of literature, such as leafleting and pamphleting; and
  • Any other form of expression that is considered a constitutionally protected right.
•  Student Clubs and Organizations: Student clubs and organizations officially recognized by the College.
  • For the purposes of this policy, athletics teams and other College-recognized student groups (such as intramurals and club sports) are included when mentioning “student clubs and organizations”.
• College Property: Any facility or property owned, occupied, operated, leased, controlled, or maintained by the College, including all of the buildings and grounds on the College campus, or any building or property otherwise within the direction, use, and control of the College.
• Time, Place, and Manner: The College has the ability to ensure the effectiveness of expressive activity while maintaining its mission by providing guidelines and directives as to where, when, and how students and student clubs and organizations may conduct expressive activities

II. Process for Conducting an Expressive Activity

While the College recognizes the potential for spontaneous expressive activity and recognizes the rights of students and student clubs and organizations to conduct these activities, the College requests that students and student clubs and organizations register the expressive activity with the Office of Events & Conferences by calling 201-684-7082 or emailing events@ramapo.edu. The Office of Events and Conferences will work with students to ensure that they will have their own reserved space for expressive activities. Also, the Office of Events & Conferences will help to maintain proper guidelines related to the time, place, and manner of the activity. 

Further, the College requests student(s), clubs, or organizations interested in conducting expressive activities consult with the Dean for Students/Vice President for Student Well-Being by calling 201-684-7457. The mission of the Office of the Dean for Students and the Student Well-Being Core centers on the values of well-being; diversity, equity & inclusion; community responsibility; and student engagement. In accordance with this mission, the Dean for Students is committed to supporting students, clubs, and organizations in conducting expressive activities by listening to their concerns so that guidance and directives can be provided before, during, and after the expressive activity takes place.

In cases of both spontaneous and pre-scheduled expressive activities, this policy and procedure will be provided to the organizing parties.

a. Guidelines for Time, Place, and Manner

The Office of Events & Conferences, in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Students or designee, has the authority to guide and direct the students and student clubs and organizations on the appropriate time, place, and manner of the activity so long as the activity considers Guidelines for Conducting Expressive Activity. Any restrictions that may apply would be content-neutral, based on time, place, and manner, and are necessary to preserve the College’s mission.

b. Guidelines for Conducting an Expressive Activity

Students and student clubs and organizations may participate in spontaneous or pre-planned expressive activities on College property as defined by this policy (see Definitions). The following guidelines should be considered:

• • Consider the academic pursuits and official College work of students, faculty, staff, administrators, and visitors;
  • A student club/organization, College group, or external group’s confirmed reservation of College space should not be interrupted;
  • Maintain the physical integrity of the ground around the areas of activity by picking up materials or other litter;
  • Amplification devices in outdoor and indoor locations should not interfere with academic instruction or official college business and operations;
  • Advertising the expressive activity:
    • Use social media to advertise the expressive activity in accordance with the College’s  Social Media Policy.
    • Use physical advertising, including posters and flyers, hung on College property to advertise the expressive activity in accordance with the College’s  Posting Policy.
      • Clubs & organizations should visit  Roadrunner Design’s webpage for information on how to properly print and post physical advertisements.
      • Individual students, not affiliated with a club or organization, may receive permission to advertise for the expressive activity by emailing roadrunnerdesign@ramapo.edu.

Students and student organizations do not represent the viewpoints or expression of the College. Ramapo College of New Jersey does not assume any obligation or responsibility for the content of any distributed materials.

c. Occupying Of Spaces

One form of expressive activity includes occupying spaces in which students choose to remain at a certain location to express themselves. If students and student clubs and organizations choose to occupy a space in this manner, they will be held to the standards of the Student Code of Conduct.

Expressive activity may occur on outdoor College property, as long as the students and student clubs and organizations consider their participants’ and others’ health and safety, adhere to College Policies, inclusive of the Student Expressive Activity Policy, and comply with the Student Code of Conduct.

Due to concerns regarding noise, safety, and preservation of the College mission, any students and student clubs and organizations who wish to occupy indoor College property must first consult with the Dean of Students. Further, such activities must be coordinated and registered with the Office of Events and Conferences.

III.     Enforcement & Violations

The Department of Public Safety, in consultation with the Office of the Dean of Students or designee, has the authority to:

1) determine whether expressive activity violates this policy and

2) inform the organizers of policy violations. 

The Office of the Dean of Students will work with the organizers to provide guidance and direct alternative strategies to the violative activities. If needed, the Department of Public Safety may terminate the activity while maintaining the safety of everyone involved. The following are examples of violations of this policy:

• • Intentionally or recklessly causing physical harm.
  • Intentionally or recklessly causing reasonable apprehension of physical harm.
  • Intentionally or recklessly causing threats to do physical harm.
  • Intentionally or recklessly endangering the welfare of others.
  • Intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging or threatening to destroy or damage the College property or the property of others.
  • Intentionally, recklessly, or substantially interrupting normal College or College-sponsored activities.
  • Intentionally or recklessly committing acts of discrimination, harassment, bias, or intimidation.
  • Intentionally or recklessly blocking public access to essential services and buildings (i.e. those related to food, healthcare, and emergency services).

a. Student Code of Conduct

Individual students will be held to the standards of the  Student Code of Conduct and the

Interim Suspension Policy, and are subject to the policies and procedures therein. Students are entitled to a fair adjudication process with the Office of Student Conduct.

Student clubs and organizations are subject to the Interim Suspension of Clubs and Organizations Policy.

 b. Compliance With Laws

 Ramapo College of New Jersey is a public, state college. Federal, state, and local laws and regulations are applicable on College property and will be enforced by the Department of Public Safety or external law enforcement agencies.