Many campus organizations are urging the administration to clarify and extend the comment period for changes made to University policies dealing with access to property and expressive activity in light of the encampment for Gaza last semester.
FO-15 of the Campus Administrative Manual, entitled “General Use and Access to University Property,” mentions guidelines for commercial activity on campus and security compliance. FO-82, named “Expressive Activity on Campus,” was issued in 2022 and includes guidelines surrounding demonstrations on campus.
Michael Gergeni, a member of Students for Environmental Concerns, said members of his organization are struggling to trust the rhetoric outlined in the policies that affirm First Amendment rights to protest will not be affected by these revisions.
“The timing of it is kind of seen as a little bit deliberate, because it kind of stunted any kind of any potential action that can be taken, aside from a very, very moderated kind of email discourse,” Gergeni said.
Both policy descriptions were issued and last reviewed Wednesday by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Operations, and specifically noted their compliance with the University’s nondiscrimination policy and the First Amendment.
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A statement, jointly published on Aug. 12 by SECS, Illini Democrats, Amnesty International at UIUC, UIUC Young Democratic Socialists of America and Students for Socialism, said these policies are an attempt to silence dissenting students.
“Restrictions laid out in these draft policies specifically regret the methods used last Spring: they vest power in the administration to dismantle encampments at their will, give specific provision against loudness, and create requirements for identification at protests,” the statement said.
The statement also said that since the notice and comment period for these policies expired on Aug. 11, the University’s timeline is an “outrageous” attempt to suppress student rights. The organizations urged community members to email the administration with concerns and extend the comment period on these policies to Sept. 16.
“We call on the administration to revise these ambiguous policies to explicitly protect and support the rights of students to peacefully protest and express dissent without fear of retribution,” the statement said.
In a Massmail sent to students, faculty and staff Wednesday, Chancellor Jones addressed campus concerns about changes to the Campus Administrative Manual, saying that many revisions were to clarify existing policies ahead of a politically charged semester.
“We encourage you to use these resources as you decide how, when and where you add your voice and share your unique perspectives with others here at Illinois this year as part of our vibrant and diverse campus intellectual environment,” Jones said in the message.
However, Gergeni pointed out that because the right to protest is a positive force used by students across the country for generations, its power on campus may have intimidated University administration into updating the aforementioned policies.
“When (students) came together last spring, it sent a huge message to the University about the potency of student power, and that’s … a wake-up call they’re not ready for,” Gergeni said.
