Procedure 516.03: Rules for Use of Campus as Public Forum

Definitions

1. College groups shall mean individuals who are currently enrolled students or current employees of Grays Harbor College or who are affiliated with a recognized student organization or a recognized employee group of the College.
2. College facilities include all buildings, structures, grounds, office space and parking lots.
3. “Limited public forum areas” means those areas of each campus that the College has chosen to open as places for expressive activities protected by the first amendment, subject to reasonable time, place, or manner restrictions.
4. “First Amendment activities” include, but are not necessarily limited to, informational picketing, petition circulation, the distribution of informational leaflets or pamphlets, speech-making, demonstrations, rallies, appearances of speakers in outdoor areas, protests, meetings to display group feelings or sentiments and/or other types of constitutionally protected assemblies to share information, perspective or viewpoints.
5. Non-college groups shall mean individuals, or combinations of individuals, who are not currently enrolled students or current employees of Grays Harbor College or who are not officially affiliated or associated with a recognized student organization or a recognized employee group of the College.

Statement of Purpose

Grays Harbor College District is an educational institution provided and maintained by the people of the state of Washington. College facilities are reserved primarily for educational use, including, but not limited to, instruction, research, public assembly of College groups, student activities and other activities directly related to the educational mission of the College. The public character of the College does not   grant to individuals an unlimited license to engage in activity which limits, interferes with, or otherwise disrupts the normal activities for and to which the College’s facilities and grounds are dedicated.    Accordingly, the College is a designated public forum opened for the limited purposes recited herein and further subject to the time, place, and manner limitations and restrictions set forth in this policy.

The purpose of the time, place and manner regulations set forth in this policy is to establish procedures and reasonable controls for the use of College facilities for both College and non-college groups. It is intended to balance the College’s responsibility to fulfill its mission as a state educational institution of Washington with the interests of College groups and non-college groups who are interested in using the campus for purposes of constitutionally protected speech, assembly or expression.  The College recognizes that College groups should be accorded the opportunity to utilize the facilities and grounds of the College to the fullest extent possible. The College intends to open its facilities to non-college groups to a lesser extent as set forth herein.

Use of Facilities

1. Subject to the regulations and requirements of this policy, both College and non-college groups may use the campus limited forums for First Amendment activities between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
2. Signs shall be no larger than three feet by five feet (3′ x 5′) and no individual may carry more than one sign.
3. Any sound amplification device may only be used at a volume which does not disrupt or disturb the normal use of classrooms, offices or laboratories or any previously scheduled College event or activity.
4. College groups are encouraged to notify the Safety and Security office and/or the Vice President for Student Services no later than two business days in advance of an event. However, unscheduled events are permitted so long as the event does not interfere with any other function occurring at the facility.
5. College group events shall not last longer than eight hours from beginning to end.
6. All sites used for First Amendment activities shall be left in their original condition and may be subject to inspection by a representative of the College after the event. Reasonable charges may be assessed against the sponsoring organization for the costs of extraordinary clean-up or for the repair of damaged property.
7. All fire, safety, sanitation or special regulations specified for the event are to be obeyed. The College cannot and will not provide utility connections or hook-ups for purposes of first amendment activities conducted pursuant to this policy.
8. The event must not be conducted in such a manner to obstruct vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian or other traffic or otherwise interfere with ingress or egress to the College, or to College buildings or facilities, or to College activities or events. The event must not create safety hazards or pose safety risks to College students, employees or invitees to the College.
9. The event must not interfere with educational activities inside or outside any College building or otherwise prevent the College from fulfilling its mission and achieving its primary purpose of providing an education to its students. The event must not materially infringe on the rights and privileges of College students, employees or invitees to the College.
10. There shall be no overnight camping on College facilities or grounds. Camping is defined to include sleeping, carrying on cooking activities, or storing personal belongings, for personal habitation, or the erection of tents or other shelters or structures used for purposes of personal habitation.
11. College facilities may not be used for commercial sales, solicitations, advertising or promotional activities, unless: (a) such activities serve educational purposes of the College; and (b) such activities are under the sponsorship of a College department or office or officially chartered student club.
12. The event must be conducted in accordance with any other applicable College policies and regulations, and College, local ordinances and state or federal laws.

Additional Requirements for Non-College Groups

1. College buildings, rooms, and athletic fields may be rented by non-college groups in accordance with the College’s facilities use policy. Non-college groups may otherwise use College facilities as identified in this policy.
2. The College designates the following area(s) as the sole limited public forum area(s) for use by noncollege groups for First Amendment activities on campus.The public use areas may be scheduled. Scheduled groups have priority use over unscheduled groups.
   1. On the College’s main campus as shown on the attached campus map:
      1. Covered area between building 2000 and the Music Pavilion. Not blocking doorway access or impeding stairwell from lower campus.
      2. Grassy area between building 2000, 1500 and 3000. All participants will need to stay out of rain gardens (shown on map, will need beatification).  Sidewalks in orange area can be used, sidewalks around orange area will need to remain clear for fire access.
      3. Patio on north side of 500 building. This is the elevated area, former smoking gazebo location.
      4. Green roof west side of 4000 building. Groups will need to remain clear of entry walkway from parking lot to building and top of stairs.  Excessive noise on this level could possibly disrupt classrooms below but would require an abundance of noise.
   2. Off Campus Centers:
      1. Raymond:
         1. Location A-Large open area on blacktop North of the Leon Lead Center for Sustainable Gardening Greenhouse, Eastside of REC building. Participants cannot setup within 15 feet of the marked parking spots.
         2. Location B-Five parking spots on South end of parking lot, Westside of REC building.
      2. Ilwaco:
         1. Location is far Eastside of parking lot consisting of 5 parking stalls.  Two stalls next to building and the three stalls on the opposite side of parking lot.

These areas remain subject to all restrictions noted in “Use of Facilities” above.

Aberdeen Campus Map

Raymond Campus Map

Ilwaco Campus Map

3. Non-college groups that seek to use the campus limited forums to engage in First Amendment activities shall provide notice to the Safety and Security office and/or the Vice President for Student Services no later than two business days prior to the event along with the following information:
   1. The name, address and telephone number of the individual, group, entity or organization sponsoring the event (hereinafter “the sponsoring organization”); and
   2. The name, address and telephone number of a contact person for the sponsoring organization; and
   3. The date, time and requested location of the event; and
   4. The nature and purpose of the event; and
   5. The type of sound amplification devices to be used in connection with the event, if any; and (f) The estimated number of people expected to participate in the event
   6. Non-college group events shall not last longer than five hours from beginning to end.

Distribution of Materials

Information may be distributed as long as it is not obscene or libelous or does not advocate or incite imminent unlawful conduct.

The approval to distribute materials does not imply approval of views that may be contained in such materials by either the College or the student body.  Authorization to post or distribute materials on the main campus must be obtained from the Office of the Vice President for Student Services.  In the case of other campus locations or outreach centers, approval will be obtained from the designated site supervisor.

Materials may be posted on designated bulletin boards, or reservations may be made for informational tables in the cafeteria to hand out materials through the Facility Rental Form on the College’s main website.

Circulating through the cafeteria area or building lobbies and distributing material is not permitted.

Criminal Trespass

Any person determined to be violating these regulations is subject to an order from the Safety and Security office or Vice President for Student Services to leave the College campus. Persons failing to comply with such an order to leave the College campus are subject to arrest for criminal trespass.

Posting of a Bond and Hold Harmless Statement

When using College buildings or athletic fields, an individual or organization may be required to post a bond and/or obtain insurance to protect the College against cost or other liability in accordance with the College’s facility use policy.

When the College grants permission to a College group or non-college group to use its facilities, it is with the express understanding and condition that the individual or organization assumes full responsibility for any loss or damage.

Trespass

• Non-college groups who violate these regulations will be advised of the specific nature of the violation, and if they persist in the violation, will be requested by the College President or designee to leave the College property. Such a request will be deemed to withdraw the license or privilege to enter onto or remain upon any portion of the College facilities of the person or group of persons requested to leave, and subject such individuals to arrest under the provisions of chapter 52 RCW or municipal ordinance.
• Members of the College community (students, faculty, and staff) who do not comply with these regulations will be reported to the appropriate College office or agency for action in accord with established College policies.
• Persons who violate a district policy or rule may have their license or privilege to be on district property revoked and be ordered to withdraw from and refrain from entering upon any district property. Remaining on or reentering district property after one’s license or privilege to be on district property has been revoked shall constitute trespass and such individual shall be subject to arrest for criminal trespass.