Community Standards Handbook Tightens Rules For Student Demonstrations

The Loyola University Chicago Community Standards, a document detailing the Student Code of Conduct, was recently updated by the Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conflict Resolution Team, making notable changes to where, when and how Loyola students can protest and hold public demonstrations on campus. 

Under the new rules published Aug. 22, students are only permitted to protest between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and only on the West Quad, which was designated a “free speech zone” by the handbook. 

In a prior edition of the Community Standards, which was published Jan. 1, students were permitted to hold demonstrations within the normal operation hours of the facility or space in which the demonstration occurred. The Jan. 1 version asked students to protest outdoors with the exception of Damen Student Center and the Terry Student Center.

Students were notified of the changes through an Aug. 22 email notice from the Division of Student Development. 

Across the United States, universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, Indiana University and the University of South Florida, have also imposed stricter guidelines for protesting following the surge in pro-Palestinian demonstrations across American universities, according to the Associated Press.

The new standard requires students to notify the Office of the Dean of Students by completing the Demonstration and Fixed Exhibit Registration Form three business days before the date of the protest or demonstration. 

“Upon receiving notification, a representative of the ODOS will provide verification to the Student Demonstration Leader about whether the demonstration may occur or not,” the new Community Standards read.

The previous standards “encouraged” students to notify the ODOS two business days before the date of the demonstration, and they don’t mention needing the notification to allow the demonstration to occur. 

Loyola university spokesperson Matt McDermott wrote in an email to The Phoenix the required registration and notification policy is designed to provide appropriate support and resources to mitigate risk and protect participants’ rights.

“Changes to the Community Standards are always intended to improve the overall experience and health, safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty and staff,” McDermott wrote. “We are continuing to focus on the ongoing physical and psychological safety of all Loyola students on all of our campuses.” 

The new standards also prohibit demonstrations “during University-wide signature events, including but not limited to, new student convocation, commencement, and University holiday events” as well as during finals week. Demonstrations being held during finals week was previously prohibited in the Jan. 1 version of the Community Standards. 

“Failure to comply may result in the immediate cancellation of the initial and/or opposing demonstration activity, a referral to the student conduct process, and/or Campus Safety involvement,” the Community Standards states.

Betty Kifle, a second-year international business major, said the new rules are questionable and seem to intentionally make holding demonstrations more difficult. 

Kifle said the extra notice needed from the Office of the Dean of Students in order for students to hold protests seemed problematic since often demonstrations happen quickly in response to current events.

“These issues don’t come scheduled,” Kifle said. “They come when they come.”

She said she thinks limiting demonstrations to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. also assumes demonstrators are students who don’t work full or part-time and aren’t busy with academics or athletics. Kifle said the rules make it seem like all student demonstrations do in their spare time is protest when the reality is more complex.

While she thinks the new rules may make it more difficult for students to protest like they once did, Kifle said she believes the determination of student demonstrators will enable them to spread their ideas and attitudes, despite the restrictions.

“When it comes to freedom of speech, the school is not allowed to limit our freedom of speech, but they are allowed to put a few obstacles before running towards the finish line,” Kifle said.

Kifle said she participated in multiple pro-Palestine demonstrations last school year, including a walk-out and a sit-in arguing for university divestment from weapons manufacturers who supply Israel. She said she believes the pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held by students who really cared for their cause and wanted to ensure the safety and well-being of other student participants. 

“If it is not the students that are holding their school accountable, it is no one else,” Kifle said.

Daniel Williams, president of the Student Government of Loyola Chicago, said the changes in the Community Standards evolved from concerns for student safety during especially intense demonstrations and protests in the past year, causing administrators to create the “free speech zone.”

“Admin and all people in the student government are committed to hearing out students and their concerns,” Williams said. “But we’re also making sure that everyone is safe when they’re expressing their viewpoints.”

Every summer the Community Standards policy goes through review, using student feedback, Williams said, meaning the current guidelines are subject to change and become less strict in the future. Williams said while Loyola has decided the rules are best suited for this term, the standards aren’t permanent. 

V Viswanathan, a fourth-year biology major, said they believe protesting can also be a communal way to grieve and work through tragedy. In their time at Loyola, Viswanathan said they participated in protests against the university’s handling of sexual assault and demonstrations for Palestine. 

While Viswanathan believes the new rules affect all student demonstrators, they said they think the regulations seem to particularly target pro-palestinian protesters and members of Student for Justice in Palestine. 

SJP declined The Phoenix’s request for a comment. 

Viswanathan said they believe limiting the time when students can protest is censorship of their freedom of speech.

“They’re basically saying, after 5 p.m., we don’t have a voice,” Viswanathan said. “We can’t do that. What is that, if not censorship?”