Student Message on Expressive Activities Policy (Parents)

Dear Parents:

The message below was delivered earlier today to your student. The University of Virginia remains committed to safeguarding your student’s constitutionally protected rights of free speech and free expression while maintaining a safe atmosphere and ensuring that Grounds are equally open and accessible to all members of the University community as we maintain normal university operations.

Thank you for being an important part of our UVA community – and please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Kenyon R. Bonner
Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer

Dear UVA students:

The beginning of the academic year is an exciting time as we welcome new and returning students to Grounds and our community. As a follow up to this morning's story in UVA Today, the University of Virginia has updated its policies related to expressive activities and the use of shared spaces on University facilities and property.

We affirm our commitment to supporting your right to engage in expressive activity on Grounds. Our University thrives when all viewpoints and beliefs can be articulated and heard without interference, and, ideally in ways that support constructive dialogue and discourse, mutual understanding, learning, and growth.

As such, you may continue to utilize outdoor University property for public speaking and distribution of literature so long as you do not impede normal University operations, obstruct pedestrian or vehicular traffic, restrict equal access to the University's outdoor spaces, or violate University policies or law.

The policy updates reflect our efforts to respond to the feedback we received last spring to clarify and better communicate UVA's policies related to expressive activity on Grounds. All new and existing policies are viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions. They reflect the University's commitment to safeguarding your constitutionally protected rights of free speech and free expression while maintaining a safe atmosphere and ensuring that Grounds are equally open and accessible to all members of the University community as we maintain normal university operations.

The policy changes and revisions include:

• The boundaries of the Academical Village have been clarified. The Academical Village includes property bounded by University Avenue to the north, Hospital Drive to the east, McCormick Road to the west, and including the Lower Lawn/Homer Flat to the south (thereby including the Rotunda, Lawn and Range rooms, hotels, gardens and pavilions). Due to the historic nature of the area, use of the Academical Village is subject to special restrictions, including a prohibition on structures (including tents and tables), with exceptions for certain reservation-only spaces.
• Camping is prohibited in outdoor University facilities and on outdoor University property. Furthermore, sleeping outdoors, with or without sheltering equipment, is prohibited between the hours of 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM.
• The use of outdoor tents is prohibited, unless they are permitted by the UVA Department of Safety and Security's Office of Fire Safety prior to being erected. In addition, no tent may remain up for more than 18 hours or between the hours of 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM, unless that tent is in use for official University, School, or University Associated-Organization-sponsored events.
• No outdoor events are permitted on Grounds between the hours of 2 AM and 6 AM – and at no time (day or night) shall any person project images onto the exterior of a University facility or on University property unless part of a University sponsored event.
• As a reminder, by existing policy and as part of our commitment to encourage the open and free exchange of ideas, classes, or portions of classes, can only be recorded with the permission of the course instructor.
• Finally, any individual who is wearing a mask or other device whereby a substantial portion of the face is hidden or covered must present an ID or otherwise establish their identity if requested by an authorized University official. Virginia law prohibits anyone over the age of 16 from wearing a face covering with the intent of concealing their identity.

Regarding the University's updated mask policy, in most cases, identification will usually not be requested from individuals who are wearing costumes on holidays, engaged in professions, trades, employment or other activities where wearing a protective mask is necessary, engaged in any theatrical production, or wearing a face covering as part of a religious or cultural observance or tradition.

And as a last reminder, violations of university policies can lead to an interim suspension, which would in turn lead to being disenrolled from your courses pending a UJC trial (unless the interim suspension is modified on appeal).

We are committed to supporting your right to plan and participate in expressive activities on Grounds that comply with University policy and the law. Please familiarize yourself with the Standards of Conduct and all relevant University policies and procedures – including a Q&A resource – which can be found on UVA's Free Speech website. We look forward to working with you and your organizations throughout the coming year and thank you in advance for your cooperation and commitment to our community.

Best wishes for a successful year and please reach out if you have questions.

Kenyon R. Bonner
Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer