I. Policy Statement

This Policy addresses postings and other distribution of physical material (“Print Publicity”) at the University of Puget Sound in a way that respects speech, appropriately and safely utilizes available space, prevents defacement of university property, and reduces unnecessary expenditures of university resources used to repair and/or replace property on University Premises. This Policy acknowledges and encourages freedom of expression, more specifically the promotion of campus events and the promotion of ideas. As part of the university’s commitment to the free exchange of ideas, members of the Campus Community are welcome to distribute and/or display material in accordance with university policies, as described below.

The Policy is not intended to censor speech or expression; rather, it is adopted to expand upon the time, place, and manner of postings in accordance with the university’s Statement on Academic Freedom and Exercise of Free Speech, its Policy on Assemblies, Protests, and Demonstrations, and to complement other campus policies, codes, and standards related to speech and expression. In the event of a conflict regarding postings, this Policy shall govern.

II. Coverage

This Policy applies to all Campus Community Members and Campus Visitors, as defined in section III, below; provided, however, that Campus Visitors have no right to engage in expressive activity on the campus without the university’s approval or agreement, and they or their postings may be removed at any time.

This Policy applies to all University Premises, with the exception of Residence Halls, and university housing that are subject to any separately-adopted policies specific to those spaces. In addition, individual divisions, departments, and programs may implement more specific policies applicable to their location(s). Social media postings are subject to other university policies.

III. Definitions

Campus Community Members: Current faculty, staff members, students, and trustees of the university.

Campus Visitors: All persons temporarily on Campus who are not enrolled or employed by the university. For example, contractors, vendors, service providers, prospective students and their families, conference attendees, and Tacoma community members are considered campus visitors.

Disorderly Conduct: Intentionally or recklessly engaging in a violent, forceful, obscene, dangerous, threatening, or intimidating conduct, or inciting others to engage in such individual or collective conduct that:

  1. Willfully inhibits the academic pursuits or educational activities of others; or
  2. Willfully infringes on the rights, privacy, or privileges of others.

Disruptive Conduct: Intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct or inciting others to engage in conduct that creates or results in a Material Disruption.

Essential Operations: The essential operations of the university encompasses:

  1. Accessibility for students, staff, and faculty to all university facilities, buildings, walkways, streets, and hallways that they are authorized to access, including allowing for safe entrance to and emergency evacuation from university buildings, facilities, walkways, streets, and hallways.
  2. Activities performed by university faculty, students, staff, vendors, or volunteers to maintain the integrity, security, and/or safety of university infrastructure, property, and systems.
  3. Campus events – specifically, the right of faculty, students, staff, and guests to attend or access campus events including, but not limited to: athletic events, guest lecturers or speakers, and musical or theater performances.
  4. Educational activities for students and faculty during instructional periods, including, but not limited to: classes, laboratories, lectures, experiential learning, and rehearsals.

Material Disruption: Any activity that has the effect of:

  1. Intentionally and substantially interfering with the Essential Operations of the university; or
  2. Improperly restraining or restricting freedom of movement, speech, assembly, or access to premises or activities by any individual who is a member of the university community or guest of the university or of any of its organizations in connection with that individual’s performance of legitimate activities or duties within or at the university; or
  3. Intentionally hindering or infringing upon the rights of others, including but not limited to, the ability of others to attend, see, hear, speak, access, or participate in campus events or activities; or 
  4. Intentionally intimidating or materially threatening the safety of persons or property.

Posting Sponsor(s): A university department, program, recognized student organization, appointed body, or individual(s) who are responsible for the content of a posting and the posting itself, including assuring that the content does not violate any university policies and are also responsible for removing postings at the conclusion of the event.

Print Publicity: Includes, but is not limited to all posters, flyers, banners, flags, leaflets, sandwich boards, and lawn displays.

University Premises: University owned and controlled grounds, buildings, and/or vehicles.

IV. Requirements and Restrictions for Print Publicity

A. General Rules and Expectations for Form and Content of Print Publicity

The form and content of any Print Publicity will not be restricted, except under limited circumstances. These circumstances include:

  1. Violations of law or university policy,
  2. Defaming a specific individual or groups,
  3. Genuine threats of violence,
  4. Prohibited discrimination/harassment,
  5. Unjustifiably invading substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or
  6. Being directly incompatible with the Essential Operations of the university.

Distribution or posting of materials may not materially obstruct or disrupt classes, events, or other Essential Operations. It can be considered a form of censorship if Print Publicity or its distribution interferes with others’ ability to see, hear, speak, access, or participate in events or activities.

Print Publicity promoting conduct prohibited above, including violations of university policies such as the Student Integrity Code and Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and/or Sexual Misconduct, will be removed immediately. Print Publicity containing the following characteristics also will be removed immediately:

  1. Illicit drugs or drug use (including alcohol consumption).
  2. References to committing or having committed bodily harm against another person.
  3. Content that supports violations of the Student Integrity Code, Code of Conduct, or other university policies.

B. Required Information to Include on Print Publicity

All authors, including those who post or communicate anonymously, exercising the right to free expression are responsible for the manner, place and content of their speech or other forms of expression.

All Print Publicity must contain the following information:

  1. Name and contact information of the Posting Sponsor(s) (office, department or recognized student organization). Contact information needs to include a name and active university email address.
  2. Date, time and location of the event being promoted.
  3. Print Publicity will be removed by the event sponsor no more than 2 days following the event.

If Print Publicity is posted and does not include the information highlighted above, including anonymous postings, it will be immediately removed by any Campus Community Member.

C. Additional Prohibitions Related to Print Publicity

  1. Falsely identifying a student or student organization as responsible for a posting is prohibited.
  2. Any suggestion of the availability of alcohol at an Event is prohibited, unless approved in advance by the Dean of Students Office, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, or the Vice President for University Relations, as appropriate.
  3. Removal of any posting that complies with this Policy prior to the dates specified in this Policy is prohibited.
  4. Business and commercial advertising is prohibited. unless approved in advance by the Dean of Students Office, the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, or the Vice President for University Relations, and otherwise consistent with the university’s Solicitation Policy.
  5. Political candidate signs are prohibited on University Premises, except as allowed by the university’s Policy on Political Activity and Lobbying.

V. Posting Expectations, Locations and Restrictions

A. Posting Expectations

Print Publicity is permitted only in covered University Premises as described in this Policy; provided, however, that particular buildings, departments, programs, or areas may be subject to specific policies covering those spaces.

  1. Special Considerations for Banners
    Departments, offices and/or recognized student organizations may hang banners from the loft in Marshall Hall for a designated period of time, with approval from the Dean of Students Office or the Dean’s designee. 

    Any requests to hang banners in any other location on University Premises must be submitted in advance for approval by the Executive Vice President/Chief Financial Officer (EVP/CFO) or their designee who can approve for a designated period of time. The EVP/CFO or their designee may consult with building representatives and/or other administrators as appropriate in evaluating the request.

    Banners must be hung only with string or with masking tape and must not be larger than 3 feet by 4 feet. Banners must comply with all fire safety regulations. 

    If a special event warrants the removal of signs or banners from Marshall Hall or another approved location, every attempt will be made to replace signs and banners in the same location when the event is over for the remainder of the designated period of time. Facilities Services or event staff are not responsible for damage to signs that fall from the wall or are pulled down and damaged in any way.

    Posting sponsors are responsible for removing their banner at the conclusion of the approved designated period of time, but any Campus Community Member can remove a banner once the designated period has concluded.
     
  2. Limitations on Posting Materials
    Print Publicity must not be hung in a manner that could damage or deface University Premises, either as a result of the sign itself, or in the manner placed.

    The following materials must not be used to hang Print Publicity: nails, duct tape, glue, scotch tape, velcro, command strips, zip ties, etc. Any questions about materials should be addressed to the Associate Vice President for Facilities Services or designee.

B. Locations

  1. Interior Buildings and Spaces 
    Print Publicity is permitted only on designated general use bulletin board surfaces across campus. Postings on any other surface will be removed without notice. Departments and/or offices may have designated bulletin boards for their specific educational or advertising materials. General Print Publicity should not be posted on these boards without prior approval from the department or office.

    Posting Sponsors are responsible for removing their Print Publicity at the conclusion of their event, but any Campus Community Member can remove Print Publicity once the event has concluded, if there is no designated event included on the Print Publicity, or if the Print Publicity does not comply with the requirements of this Policy (see Section IV).
     
  2. Outside Buildings and Outside Spaces
    Print Publicity cannot be placed on the outside of University owned buildings. The only exception to this is for departments who have worked directly with Marketing and Communications to develop banners, flags, or other hangings that advertise key University events, such as Commencement, Homecoming and Family Weekend, Orientation, etc. The university may remove unapproved Print Publicity at any time.

    Sandwich boards and lawn displays may be used outside of buildings as directional signs for offices or advertising key events. Sandwich boards should not impede pedestrian traffic flow and should be brought inside at the end of each business day. Any Posting Sponsor(s) who wishes to use sandwich boards or other lawn displays are encouraged to contact the Associate Vice President for Facilities Services to avoid conflicts with Facilities Services operations. The university may remove sandwich boards or other lawn displays at any time.

    The university prohibits any stakes in the ground or any excavation on University Premises without prior approval from the Associate Vice President for Facilities Services or their designee.

C. Restrictions

  1. Surface-Related Restrictions
    Prohibited posting surfaces include the following: doors, walls, glass windows (postings cannot block line of sight under any circumstances), wood surfaces, building exteriors, floors, banisters, pillars, fixtures, railings, stairs, traffic and directional signs, or in restrooms.
     
  2. Safety-Related Restrictions
    For fire safety reasons, no materials may be hung from ceilings, water pipes, sprinkler heads, exit signs, elevators, or outside windows. This includes, but is not limited to, streamers, balloons, tapestries, etc.

VI. Sidewalk Chalking

Chalking is permitted on campus concrete or asphalt walkways and sidewalks. Campus Community Members must request to chalk on campus concrete or asphalt walkways to advertise their campus events. Chalking requests should be made through Facilities Services at least one week prior to the proposed event.

Chalking may not be put on Commencement Walk, brick, stone or marble walkways, or any vertical surfaces, including:

  • Stairways
  • Curbs
  • Covered sidewalks
  • Brick surfaces
  • Granite or sandstone surfaces
  • Buildings
  • Windows
  • Benches
  • Planters
  • Trash containers
  • Pillars
  • Flag poles
  • All other vertical surfaces

Only water-soluble, dry-stick chalk is allowed and must be approved by Facilities Services. Aerosol spray chalk, paint, and all other products that do not wash away in the rain are prohibited.

All chalking needs to abide by all Puget Sound policies, including the Student Integrity Code.

All chalking is subject to routine removal by Facilities Services as part of their routine grounds maintenance schedule.

VII. Violations

Any action or communication that violates this Policy, any other university policy, standard, or code, or federal, state, or local law is prohibited. In such circumstances, the university will attempt to resolve the violation(s) informally if appropriate and possible; however, any Campus Community Member who violates this Policy or applicable law may be subject to losing privileges for facilities/space use, including Print Publicity, and/or disciplinary processes and corrective action, up to and including dismissal or expulsion depending on the severity and nature of the violation.

Campus Visitors who violate this Policy or applicable law may be removed or trespassed from campus.

In addition, parties and/or person(s) may be held financially responsible for violations of this Policy that result in damages to university property. Charges will be based on the labor and materials needed to address the damage by Facilities Services.

Nothing in this Policy restricts the ability of the university to separately address and/or remove postings that are not otherwise within the scope of this Policy.

VIII. Effective Date

This policy is effective as of September 16, 2024.

IX. Related Statutes, Regulations, and Policies

Policy Owner:
Division of General Counsel and Risk Management
Division of Student Affairs
Division of Finance & Administration

Policy Contact: generalcounsel@pugetsound.edu; dos@pugetsound.edu 

Date Adopted: September 12, 2024

Date Last Reviewed: September 12, 2024

Date Last Revised: N/A