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Westminster College recognizes its responsibility to develop its students for lives of meaning, integrity, and citizenship; therefore, the College strives to create an environment in which students may discuss questions, express opinions, and debate issues publicly while remaining respectful and respecting the rights of others. The purpose of this policy is to ensure students are aware of both their rights to protected speech and assembly and limitations that may be imposed to prevent disruption of operations and essential functions and to ensure the safety and security of the College community.
Protected Expression
Students are encouraged to express their ideas, opinions, and beliefs, including through the use of demonstrations and protests, in a manner that does not conflict with College policies, including the Principles Against Intolerance statement in this Policy. Students have the responsibility to assemble and to express their ideas and opinions in a way that does not disrupt the operations and essential functions of the College, endanger the safety of individuals, or destroy property.
In a community which recognizes the rights of its members to hold divergent views and to express those views, sometimes ideas are expressed which are hurtful and disrespectful. Nevertheless, the College cannot impose disciplinary sanctions upon such expression when it is otherwise in compliance with College policy. Expression of ideas and opinions are no longer in compliance with College policies when the manner of expression, or the substance of the expression, is deemed by the College to be harassing, hateful, or otherwise speech or conduct which a person may reasonably find to be offensive.
Time, Place, and Manner Restrictions
In order to achieve its objective of promoting free speech and intellectual engagement, while at the same time ensuring that the College fulfills its educational mission, the College has the responsibility to regulate the time, place, and manner of expression. Time, place, and manner restrictions are content-neutral limitations that specify when, where, and how (such as using loudspeakers) expression may occur. Through such regulation, the College can promote opportunity for all persons, preserve order within the College community, protect and preserve College property, and provide a secure environment to individuals exercising freedom of expression. In limited circumstances, the College retains the right to prevent certain types of speech (including but not limited to organized demonstrations, invited speakers, etc.) at the discretion of the College. Any such restriction shall be content-neutral and applied to the entire College equally.
When imposing time, place, and manner restrictions, the College may:1
- Regulate speech consistent with limited public and pervasively private forums;
- Impose limits on the noise level of speech;
- Limit the number of protestors who may occupy a given forum;
- Limit attendance and participation at events;
- Prohibit early-morning or late-evening demonstrations;
- Prohibit encampments;
- Restrict the size or placement of signs.
1This list is meant to be demonstrative of the type of restrictions the College may impose and is not exhaustive.
Consistent with the Policy on Westminster College Facilities Use, encampments are not permitted on College property. Encampments are defined as a place where one or more individuals stay for a continuous time that includes temporary or permanent structures and personal belongings.
Westminster College retains the right to designate which areas of the campus are pervasively private, limited public, or public forums. Protests, demonstrations, or marches are restricted to the campus quad unless prior permission is granted for other locations.
Pervasively private forums include all academic and administrative buildings (including classrooms and offices), residence halls, and campus grounds other than those identified as limited public forums.
Limited public forums are designated spaces where speech is limited to specific uses as defined by campus policies. Limited use is defined as use that supports the College’s educational activity, operations and essential functions, such as athletic competition, lectures, performances, and recognized student organization activity. Limited public forums include, but is not limited to, Anderson Amphitheater, Athletic venues, Beeghly Theater, McKelvey Campus Center banquet and conference rooms, and Orr Auditorium.
Traditional public forums include public parks, sidewalks, and areas open to the general public. Westminster College is a private institution; therefore, College property is not considered a public forum. Roads and sidewalks owned by the New Wilmington Borough are public and subject to Borough laws and ordinances.
Campus Event Registration
In order to regulate time, place, and manner, students must register any protest or demonstration by following the event registration process as defined by Student Life.
Distribution of Written Material
Non-commercial pamphlets, handbills, circulars, newspapers, magazines and other written materials may be distributed on a person-to-person basis in open areas outside of buildings and other enclosed structures on the campus. No stand, table or booth shall be used in distribution except in the McKelvey Campus Center and only with the approval from Student Affairs. Written material may not be distributed to faculty or staff offices, campus residents’ private rooms, or placed under closed/locked doors.
Principles Against Intolerance
Westminster College was founded on the principle of diversity and inclusion when it opened its doors for all students, regardless of gender, race, or faith affiliation, a mission uncommon at the time of its founding. To that end, the exercise of free speech mandates an environment of respect and civility and one free of intolerance directed toward individuals or groups.
An act of intolerance refers to conduct that fosters hatred or prejudice toward other individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, color, shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran’s status, or religion. and erodes an environment of respect and civility. Acts of intolerance violate College policies and will be referred to the appropriate conduct process.
Westminster College is committed to preventing acts of intolerance by faculty, staff, and students, and encourages anyone in the Westminster community to report incidents of intolerance to Human Resources and/or Student Affairs. Where an investigation establishes that any violations of College policy occurred based on prohibited discrimination, the appropriate College administrators may impose sanctions. Sanctions may include termination or expulsion from Westminster College.
Discrimination is defined in the Student Handbook as “any act or failure to act that is based upon an individual or group’s actual or perceived status that is sufficiently severe that it limits or denies the ability to participate in or benefit from the College’s educational program or activities.”
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