Dear students,
As we begin another Fall quarter, it’s exciting to feel the campus come alive with your energy. The University is a place where ideas are shared and where campus community members, at times, engage in vigorous disagreement and debate, sometimes in ways that are deeply connected to who we are and what we believe. You all make up one of the most brilliant and dynamic student bodies in the country, one that frequently advocates for the causes you care so deeply about. Given that some of you may be planning to engage in activism or other expressive activities in the coming weeks and months, I want to follow up on recent campus communications regarding time, place, and manner (TPM) and conduct policies. My goal is to ensure that you have all the necessary information to engage in these activities in ways that align with university policies and support a safe and productive environment for everyone.
I’ve heard from some students that there’s some confusion about what’s new or different in our time, place, and manner policies and I wanted to provide some clarity about this. The majority of these policies already existed at UCSC. The main exception is that the prohibition on “masking to conceal identity” is new.
UC Santa Cruz, with the Interim Conduct Regulations, makes clear that all individuals on our campus, whether they are affiliates or non-affiliates, are required to abide by certain basic conduct rules, as outlined below.
Spotlight on five key components of Conduct
The Interim Conduct Regulations outlines the following key conduct regulations that apply to all individuals on our campus, regardless of whether there is also expressive activity taking place:
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No person shall camp, set up, or erect a campsite or occupy a tent or other temporary housing structure on University Controlled Property unless specifically pre-approved.
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No person shall erect, build, construct, set up, establish, and/or maintain unauthorized structures on University Controlled Property.
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No person shall restrict the movement of another person or persons by, among other means, blocking or obstructing their ingress or egress (i.e., right to enter or exit) of roadways, walkways, buildings, parking structures, fire lanes, windows, doors, or other passageways on or to University Controlled Property, or otherwise deny a person access to a University Controlled Property.
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No person shall wear a mask or personal disguise, or otherwise conceal their identity with the intent of intimidating any person or group or for the purpose of evading or escaping discovery, recognition, or identification in the commission of violations of law or policy.
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No person shall refuse to identify themselves while on University Controlled Property to University officials who are acting in the performance of their duties in situations where assistance or intervention is needed.
To respond to questions I have received regarding the mask/disguise, the policy prohibits concealing their identity to intimidate others or to evade recognition during any violations. It’s important to note that if an individual is wearing a mask and is not engaged in any policy violations, there would likely be no reason for the University to require identification. However, if someone is wearing a mask and refuses to identify themselves, while participating in behavior that is potentially a violation or law or policy, the University may consider the concealment of their identity an additional violation. In such instances, the individual could be subject to the student conduct process.
Regarding the requirement for individuals to identify themselves to University officials when requested and where assistance or intervention is needed, there have been questions about how to identify a university official. University officials acting in their official capacity will introduce themselves and state their role. They may also display a name badge or employee ID featuring the UCSC logo, and some may wear a uniform displaying a UCSC or UC insignia, logo, or emblem.
University response to potential TPM or conduct violations
As mentioned above, while the policies haven't changed significantly (except for the new masking policy), the University will respond to potential violations and to the extent possible, emphasize multiple opportunities for individuals to make different decisions about their actions. Below is what students might expect:
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Students who are engaged in a potential policy violation will be informed of the issue and potential consequences so that they can make informed decisions and have a chance to alter their actions. Specific requests may be made to alter their actions. These interactions are meant to be educational. If students continue to be out of compliance with campus policies, this could lead to other officials becoming involved and issuing notices of unlawful assembly, directives to disperse or requests to provide a Student ID or other form of identification.
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If students continue to refuse to comply, they may be cited for policy violations and referred to the student conduct process for review. If breaking the law, they may face citations, detention, or arrest. Stay-away orders may be issued for severe or repeated violations. UCPD or other local law enforcement may also become involved to ensure community health and safety.
It is important to note that while the above steps will be engaged whenever possible, in the event that a situation appears to be a serious disruption or creating unsafe situations, there may be direct law enforcement engagement.
It is essential for our campus to be a place where all students are heard and respected, where students are able to access their educational opportunities, and where the University’s operations are not impeded. For these reasons, the University will enforce consistent accountability measures for violations of University policies. Students who are found responsible for violating university policies or law, may receive outcomes such as educational sanctions, written warning, disciplinary probation, exclusion from areas of the campus or from official University functions, restitution, suspension, and dismissal.
I know this is a lot of information to receive and absorb. In an effort to make the time, place, and manner policies clear, we have developed a one-page document that provides Guidelines for Planning Public Expression Activities (please note: that this document is not inclusive of all applicable policies).
The Dean of Students Office and the Division of Student Affairs and Success believe student activism is a vital part of your educational journey, and we support your right to have your voices heard about the change in the world you want to see. We also want to work with you so that University policies, regulations, and the law are understood and upheld, allowing all members of our community to learn, live, work and thrive on campus. Tiime, place, and manner policies exist to both provide a framework for free expression and to meet these other goals.
I see and honor the ways that you make UC Santa Cruz the vibrant university that it is, and your dedication to pushing the world to be a better place. I look forward to supporting you as you navigate and engage in advocacy around some of the most pressing issues of our time.
In community,
Garrett Naiman
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Development and Engagement and Dean of Students
