Use of Campus Spaces

August 30, 2024

 

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,

Our campus is a vibrant nexus of teaching, learning, and research year-round, but it is especially inspiring to feel the energy and enthusiasm throughout our spaces at the start of each fall semester. In addition to myriad courses and academic programs, our campus is once again home to thousands of students and residential staff, and host to countless events, meetings, and social and community-related activities. This is university life. These activities and interactions are vital to fostering a vibrant community where learning, growing, discovery, and achievement can take place.

As President Garber affirmed in his message yesterday, we strongly embrace the right to freedom of thought, open inquiry, and free expression, including the right to protest and dissent, as laid out in our University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities. The University-wide Statement also makes clear that this right is not limitless – it may not be exercised in a manner that obstructs the ability of other members of the Harvard community to engage in the activities that sustain our mission.

Our Campus Use Rules, which were compiled and refined based on existing policies, rules, and practices from across the University, protect the right of all members of our community to teach, learn, research, work and live on our campus. They create clear School-based pathways for planning events including rallies, protests, and demonstrations. These processes are designed to enable a multitude of campus activities while supporting the ability of every member of our community to experience and maximize what university life at Harvard has to offer them.

Members of our community should expect that activities that violate Campus Use Rules, time place and manner restrictions, and other University policies will be addressed promptly. Let me underscore the following regarding the use of campus spaces this fall:

  • Community members must produce a Harvard ID when asked by Harvard administrators or the Harvard University Police Department.
  • If activities are in violation of Harvard’s policies or rules, participants will be asked to cease or adjust actions. Campus administrators will work with community members, as appropriate, to find another time, place, or manner for the desired activity or expression in accordance with University and school guidance, including Current Procedures for Permitting of Campus Protest Activity.
  • Continued engagement in an activity that is disruptive or otherwise violates Harvard’s policies or rules may be captured digitally, and participants should be prepared to be held accountable for their actions, including by referral to appropriate school-based disciplinary processes.
  • Where there is substantial disruption of the normal operations of our campus, University police may remove or remediate the disruption.

Together, we will continue to respect and honor the right to free expression while also respecting the right of all to pursue the important work that is at the core of our mission. Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with this information.

Sincerely,

Meredith Weenick
Executive Vice President