University Policy: Freedom of Expression

I. EFFECTIVE DATE

September 10, 2024

II. LAST REVISION DATE

September 10, 2024

III. RESPONSIBLE PARTY

Office of the Provost

IV. SCOPE

All University employees and students are subject to this Policy.

V. PURPOSE

Based on the core principles of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM), Marymount University is a community engaged in meaningful dialogue through free expression.  Robust dialogue, debate, and critical inquiry are fundamentally important to the University’s mission. This Policy establishes protections for freedom of expression for the members of the community as well as sets forth the limitations on those protections.     

VI. POLICY STATEMENT

Marymount University is a Catholic institution of higher education founded by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary and committed to the ideals and principles established through this relationship. In the spirit of the RSHM who promote civility and meaningful dialogue, Marymount University believes that civil discourse and disagreement strengthens the intellectual, spiritual, and moral development of our students and views a robust discourse as inherently aligned with our Catholic mission.

VII. POLICY

A. Freedom of Expression

  1. The University fosters and protects freedom of expression for all members of the community.  Freedom of expression includes the ability of an individual to hold and express ideas that differ from each other, to express ideas that may be unpopular or controversial, and to organize for educational and extracurricular purposes.
  2. While committed to freedom of expression, the University believes in the fundamental dignity of all persons and holds discourse to a high standard. Specifically, freedom of expression is accompanied by a set of responsibilities, consistent with the values and principles of the University that each member of the community shall uphold.  For example, freedom of expression, in any form regardless of medium, must not:
  • threaten or endanger the health or safety of any person in the community;
  • deny or infringe upon the rights of other students, faculty, staff, and guests of the community;
  • disrupt or interfere with educational and other activities of the community;
  • create a volume of sound that prevents members of the University from conducting their normal activities;
  • obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic on campus;
  • obstruct or restrict the free movement of persons in any part of property owned or leased by the University;
  • obstruct or interfere with the normal use of offices, classrooms and other facilities by students, faculty, staff and guests of the University;
  • obstruct the orderly operations of the University;
  • damage University property, or contribute to property damage;
  • violate the law; and
  • violate University policies, including but not limited to the Student Community Conduct Code, Faculty Handbook, Human Resources policies, Sexual and Interpersonal Misconduct Policy and Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy.

 

  1. The University will also exercise reasonable oversight when expression has an implied relationship to the University, such as signs and installations (temporary or permanent) in on-campus public areas, the use of specific spaces, and published materials that bear the name of Marymount University or imply or express an affiliation to Marymount University. The University may establish reasonable guidelines regarding the time, place, and manner of expression. While the University will exercise reasonable oversight, the University believes that the best response to expression is more expression. While the University’s Catholic mission and identity is central to its purpose, the University will not prohibit expression solely because it may be inconsistent with Catholic teaching or the values of RSHM. However, it will encourage a balanced approach to controversial topics, such as creating additional forums for students or the University to present opposing views.
  2. When members of the community are off-campus and not participating in university- sponsored activities or representing the University, the University will not interfere with freedom of expression.

 

Guidelines for On-Campus Demontrations