820. Campus Demonstrations: Definitions and Elaboration of Policy

Relevant Excerpt

Demonstration Request: A request to hold a Demonstration. Requests must be filed through this link, and may be filed only by an Organizer, who must be an Eligible Person. Requests filed fewer than 48 hours before a proposed Demonstration begins may not be approved.

Approval Notice: A written notice from the Campus Events Manager (or their designee) granting a Demonstration Request and including all conditions, limitations, or other requirements that Rice issues to the Organizer. Every approved Demonstration must comply with the Approval Notice.

Hate Speech: Any act that incites imminent criminal activity or consists of specific threats of violence targeted against a person because of that person’s membership in a protected class. Hate speech does not include speech that is ordinarily considered constitutionally protected speech.

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A. Standards for Approval

A Demonstration may occur only with Rice’s prior approval. Consistent with its commitment to an environment of open inquiry, Rice intends to approve and or conditionally approve all or most Demonstration Requests.

At any time and for any reason, Rice may deny or revoke this approval. Rice is likely to deny or revoke approval if it determines a Demonstration may (or did already) use or threaten violence; harass an individual or group; engage in hate speech; violate the law or incite violations of the law; restrict a person’s ability to move freely, or enter or exit a University building or venue; engage in obscenity; disrupt University operations, teaching, learning, or research; include individuals who are not current Rice students, faculty, staff or otherwise included in the Approval Notice; or interfere with the Rice community’s opportunities to engage in safe and robust expression, discussion, and exchange of diverse points of view.