Inquiry and Expression: Freedom of inquiry and expression is integral to the definition of a university. As an academic community, the University is devoted to the objective, reasoned, and fair study of all issues and questions. There are times when the study of certain questions will be the subject of disagreement and controversy. While free to voice their objections and to protest, students shall be responsible for helping to maintain an atmosphere in which objective and rational study can continue.
1. Students and student organizations shall be free to examine and discuss all questions of interest to them and to express opinions publicly and privately by demonstrations or in other ways, conducted in an orderly and non-obstructive manner. Students should be free, and no special permission should be required, to distribute pamphlets or collect names for petitions and solicit support.
2. Students shall may be allowed to invite and to hear any person of their own choosing. Those routine procedures required by the University before a guest speaker is invited to appear on campus shall be designed to ensure that there is orderly scheduling of facilities and adequate preparation for the event, including the financial requirements, and that the occasion is conducted in a manner appropriate to an academic community.
3. Students have the responsibility to make clear to the academic and larger community that sponsorship of guest speakers does not necessarily imply approval or endorsement of the views expressed by either the sponsoring group or the institution. All publicity shall clearly indicate that the views expressed or to be expressed are those of the guest speaker and are not necessarily those of Drew University.
4. No publicity may be released to the public, press, radio, or television except through the Office of Communications.
5. No student may enter into or sign a contract in the name of Drew University (or for any group within the University) without first seeking approval (and the signature) of the Director of Student Activities and/or
his/her designee.
Groups not recognized by the University must follow the guidelines of the Housing, Conferences and Hospitality Office.
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Faculty members and administrative officials shall ensure that institutional powers are not employed to inhibit such intellectual and personal development of students as is often promoted by their exercise of the rights of citizenship both on and off campus.
Institutional Authority:
The University will exercise jurisdiction over any violation of university policy, including public law, whether the offense is committed on or off campus. Students who violate the law may incur penalties prescribed by civil authorities. Drew University’s institutional authority shall never be used merely to duplicate the function of general laws. Only where the
interests of Drew University as an academic community are distinctly and clearly involved should the special authority of the institution be asserted according to regular student conduct proceduresalso be subject to criminal and/or civil court jurisdictions. Pending legal cases do not preclude the university from addressing violations under this code.
Actions undertaken by Drew University to address conduct violations will normally go forward even if criminal proceedings are pending and will not be subject to challenge on the grounds that a related legal matter is in process, has been dismissed, or has been reduced. Failure to participate in the University process may result in decisions in absentia, with dues weight afforded any materials submitted by, or related to, the absent party.
Disciplinary actions undertaken by Drew University will normally proceed during the pendency of any criminal proceedings, and the University’s disciplinary actions shall not be subject to challenge on the ground that a criminal allegation involving the same incident is pending, has been dismissed, or has been reduced. The status of a student shall not be altered, or the right to be present on the campus and to attend classes suspended, except when it is clear that a threat exists to the health, safety, or well-being of the campus community. Either the President or the Dean of Campus Life and Student Affairs (or designee) may, upon finding that such a threat exists, revoke a student’s right to be on campus or suspend a student from class for an interim period pending a prompt hearing pursuant to University disciplinary procedures.
Any such interim revocation or suspension shall become immediately effective upon the required finding being made without prior notice to the affected student. On application of the affected student, the University official (or designee) invoking the interim revocation or suspension shall, within ten (10) business days, meet with the suspended student to consider only the reliability of the information regarding the student’s conduct and whether the conduct and surrounding circumstances reasonably indicate that the presence of the student on campus or in class continues to threaten the health, safety, or well-being of the campus community.