FREE SPEECH AND ASSEMBLY POLICY The University of North Alabama (UNA or the University) recognizes and supports the rights of members of the campus community to engage in expressive activities in a manner consistent with local, state and federal law. The purpose of this policy is to promote the free exchange of ideas and the safe and efficient operation of the University. The primary function of the University is the discovery, improvement and dissemination of knowledge by means of research, teaching, discussion and debate. It is not the role of the University to shield individuals from speech protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, including ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or offensive. The University protects intellectual freedom and free expression. In balancing the rights of students, faculty, staff and visitors to speak on campus with the University’s need to preserve and protect its campus community, expressive activities may be subject to reasonable regulation with regard to time, place and manner, whether inside buildings or outside on campus ground. Within this policy “expressive activities” include: • Meetings and other group activities of registered UNA student organizations; • Speeches, performances, demonstrations, rallies, vigils and other similar events by members of the campus community, which is defined as students, administrators, faculty, and staff, and the invited guests of the University and the University’s student organizations, administrators, faculty, and staff; • Distribution of literature by members of the campus community, such as leaflets and pamphlets; • Students, administrators, faculty, and staff taking positions on public controversies; and • Any other expression protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or Article I Section 4 of the Alabama Constitution. The University supports free association and will not deny a student organization any benefit or privilege available to any other student organization or otherwise discriminate against an organization, based on the expression of the organization, including any requirement of the organization that the leaders or members of the organization affirm and adhere to an organization’s sincerely held beliefs or statement of principles, comply with the organization’s standard of conduct, or further the organization’s mission or purpose, as defined by the student organization. The University will strive to remain neutral, as an institution, on the public policy controversies of the day, except as far as administrative decisions on the issues that are essential to the day-to- day functioning of the University, and will not require students, faculty, or staff to publicly express a given view of a public controversy. The University campus is open to any speaker invited by registered student organizations or faculty. The University will not charge fees based on the protected activity of the member of the campus community or student organization, or the content of the in vited guest’s speech, or the anticipated reaction or opposition of listeners.
The University will maintain and enforce constitutional time, place and manner restrictions for outdoor areas of campus only when they are narrowly tailored to serve a significant institutional
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