VCU Demonstration Guidelines
Intention: Public Facing on University Website Audience: University and Richmond Community Members
VCU GUIDELINES FOR RESPONDING TO DEMONSTRATIONS
ON UNIVERSITY PROPERTY
VCU responds to student expressive activity, including demonstrations and demonstrations, as described in the Reservation and Use of Space policy:
The university is committed to creating an environment that fosters the exercise of protected speech and other expressive activity [including demonstrations] on university property while maintaining an atmosphere free of disruption to the mission of the university. It recognizes that the free expression of ideas and open inquiry are essential in fulfilling its academic mission by embracing rigorous open discourse, argumentation, speaking, listening, learning and the exploration of ideas. As such, the university has established requirements for use of its property to pursue its academic mission, provide a safe environment, and preserve the functional and aesthetic integrity of the campus.
VCU is committed to fostering a campus community that supports the right to assemble for demonstration, including demonstration, consistent with university policy. VCU acknowledges the importance of the freedom of assembly in a campus environment so that members of the campus community can convene to exchange and express ideas on matters of interest or importance to them. To support civil discourse, including assembly, VCU is committed to providing clear instruction about permissible time, place and manner for assembly and VCU’s procedures for responding to planned and unplanned assembly. The procedures for responding to demonstrations support those rights and help us come to an understanding as a community about our shared approach and priorities.
If a student, faculty or staff member of the VCU community comes to you in your role as a staff member requesting support or assistance related to plans to assemble, the Dean of Student Advocacy Office maintains tools and resources designed to help facilitate and support peaceful demonstration and avoid disruption consistent with university policy. The Dean of Student Advocacy, or designee, can meet with representatives, as requested, to help think through the logistics of the planned demonstration and address issues of safety, goals (i.e. raising awareness of this issue, advocating for a change in VCU operations, etc.), and potential concerns. VCU officials will provide support and assistance to students without regard to their viewpoint.
If you become aware of a demonstration in progress, contact the Dean of Student Advocacy Office (804-828-8940). The Dean of Student Advocacy will initiate a response plan, as needed.
Priorities:
VCU priorities when responding to a demonstration are:
- The physical safety of demonstrators and the campus community overall and minimize disruptions to VCU
- Engage constructively and in an educational manner with demonstrators about their issues of concern.
- Coordinate with organizers and demonstrators to safely facilitate events and expression consistent with university policy.
- Enforce reasonable time, place and manner restrictions designed to prevent a demonstration from infringing on the exercise of free expression by others.
- Provide general support and assistance to students impacted by the demonstration.
- PREPARATION FOR PLANNED DEMONSTRATIONS:
To promote civil discourse without disrupting the campus environment, the University dedicates resources to support students when demonstrations occur, and regularly assesses processes of event registration, event review, decision-making mechanisms, communication and coordination with outside agencies.
When an individual student or student organization contacts VCU Dean of Student Advocacy about planning a demonstration, VCU responds as follows.
Venue/Facility Security Review:
VCU staff will consider the indoor or outdoor area proposed by the event organizer to determine whether it is suitable for the event by considering factors related to safety and security, such as capacity, facilities, layout, obstacles, accessibility and availability. This review will include a walkthrough of the potential site to assess feasibility. In some instances, the walkthrough may reveal changes necessary for the safety of those participating. If it is determined during the event review process that the venue is not suitable for the requested event, VCU may propose one or more reasonable alternative sites. If the event organizer does not accept an alternative site, the event will not be authorized. The walkthrough will include VCUPD, VCU Dean of Student Advocacy, and venue staff.
Communication with Event Organizer and Demonstrators:
To promote safety and avoid disruption of university activities or operations, VCU encourages event organizers and demonstrators to communicate effectively and proactively with campus administration. Student affairs staff and VCUPD encourage individual students or student organizations organizing an event and those impacted by an event to meet with VCU staff in advance with the intent to learn more about the issues at hand and suggest routes for resolution. Campus administration may also ask questions or propose adjustments that can facilitate the event while maintaining safety.
The goal of pre-event planning is to share any known information so that organizers are informed of applicable university policies, expectations, options and responsibilities, and any possible consequences that could arise due to actions of protestors or demonstrators. Groups consulting with the University should not expect confidentiality about their plans. After the pre-event planning, the University will communicate to event organizers what special university staffing or other resources are needed and the associated costs and payment for such resources. VCU will not charge event organizers for security resulting from expected or actual demonstration activity of the event.
- DEMONSTRATION RESPONSE
Once a potential or active demonstration has been identified, campus staff will generally assume the following roles:
Notification of Potential Demonstration
Student Affairs Staff Roles
- Research group or event if it includes students.
- Identify the organizer and gather information, to aid in assessment of potential disruption.
- Assign staffing resources to the event.
- Notify VCU Police.
VCUPD Role
- Gather information on event.
- Research previous events by organizers at VCU and other locations.
- Assess event for safety concerns and volatility.
- Develop a response plan (with Student Affairs staff if students are involved).
- Assign sworn officer or non-sworn security staffing resources to event, as needed.
- Coordinate with outside law enforcement agencies, as needed.
VCUPD, Student Affairs and University Communications Staff Roles
- Develop and assign responsibility for communications with campus, community and stakeholders.
During Active Demonstration
Student Affairs Staff Roles
- Engage with the lead event organizer and any demonstrator(s), to ascertain logistical intentions and set expectations about university policies and response.
- Establish a person of contact for the event organizer and, if possible, any demonstrators.
- Inform the event organizer and any demonstrator(s) of the existing university policy, and if not in compliance with the policy explain ramifications.
- Monitor and observe on-going demonstration at a safe distance.
- Communicate information, problems and concerns with the VCUPD Incident Commander and Dean of Students or designee.
- Pursue tactics designed to diffuse tensions and avoid tactics likely to increase tensions.
- Support VCUPD’s intervention plan, as needed.
- Discuss, communicate, and coordinate with police when transition from Student Affairs contact to Police contact should occur.
- Provide instruction and guidance to event organizers and, if any, demonstrators, regarding their obligations to comply with applicable university policy, including fulfilling the following roles:
Event Organizer Roles
- Meet with University staff to understand responsibilities.
- Develop clear parameters for the event (e.g. signs, question and answer, etc.).
- Prior discussion with the event organizer would have taken place to decide who will ask the disruptor(s) to cease if a disruption occurs at an event. If the disruption continues after a warning, a University official will step in to intervene.
Demonstrator Roles
- Demonstrate in such a way so as to not disrupt the academic or administrative functions of the University, nor disrupt the free expression of others in compliance with University policies. VCU’s student code of conduct can be found here: https://vcu.public.doctract.com/doctract/documentportal/08DA32A740D329EA999AE55858CBBECA
VCUPD Roles
- Assess potential for violence and harm.
- Using the campus demonstration philosophy, intervene and enforce policies as necessary.
- Establish a person of contact for the event organizer and, if possible, any demonstrators.
- Engage in conversation with demonstrators and explain permitted activity at a safe distance from event participants.
- Monitor and observe event activity and demonstrations.
- Identify and communicate information, problems and concerns to Police leadership.
- Advise on the development of an intervention plan and implement, if needed.
- Create an accurate record of the actions of police and others (event participants and demonstrators). This may include the use of neutral observers, videotaping activity at the demonstration, or the creation of police after-action reports following any police response to a demonstration. In particular, police should record all dispersal orders, all arrests, and any use of physical force, to the extent possible.
Conclusion and After-Action Review
Disruptor
- If a student is investigated for possible disruption, the student should be afforded all of the rights and processes as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct.
Student Affairs Staff Roles
- Outreach to the student will be made by Office of Dean of Student Advocacy
- Share information about possible student code of conduct violations with the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.
- Determine if an after action report is needed.