Reserving Public Forums for Speech
1. Reservations are not required for Speech in a Public Forum.
2. Public Forum is defined by A.R.S. §15-1861 and “includes both a traditional public forum, which is any open, outdoor area on the campus of a university or community college, and a designated public forum, which is any facility, building or part of a building that the university or community college has opened to students or student organizations for expression.” Public Forums do not include, for example, the interiors of College buildings, residence halls, the Family Enrichment Center, enclosed outdoor spaces, such as building atriums or athletic fields, or any other building or part of a building that the College has not opened to Students or student organizations for expression, including classrooms while classes are in session.
3. The College recommends individuals or groups who wish to engage in Speech in a Public Forum that is anticipated or likely to involve or attract large numbers of people, or that will involve special equipment (e.g., stages or platforms, chairs, sound amplification) to consult with the Director of Student Engagement or their designee regarding an appropriate Public Forum to accommodate those activities and to reserve the area in advance.
4. Individuals or groups who wish to engage in planned Speech in a Public Forum may reserve a particular Public Forum in advance by submitting a written “Public Forum Reservation Form” to the Director of Student Engagement or their designee at least two (2) business days before the anticipated date of the Speech in a Public Forum, although the College strongly encourages the submission of reservations as early as possible. Public Forum Reservation Forms may be obtained from the Office of Student Engagement, online at Online Request Form or by emailing studentactivities@yc.edu
5. Reservation submissions of Speech in a Public Forum will be processed on a first-come-first-served, Content Neutral basis and may be denied at the College’s discretion under one or more of the following circumstances:
a. The Speech in a Public Forum conflicts with scheduled College Sponsored Activities or College Authorized Activities;
b. The College recommends individuals or groups who wish to engage in Speech in a Public Forum that is anticipated or likely to involve or attract large numbers of people, or that will involve special equipment (e.g., stages or platforms, chairs, sound amplification) to consult with the Director of Student Engagement or their designee regarding an appropriate Public Forum to accommodate those activities and to reserve the area in advance.
c. The communication for which the reservation is sought does not conform to reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions set forth by the College;
d. The content of the communication is excluded from Speech as defined in Policy 10.10;
e. The forum requested is not a Public Forum;
f. The party submitting the reservation or who will be communicating the message has a prior history of engaging in activities that are excluded from Speech as defined in Policy 10.10, that are harmful or injurious to the College Community or its Visitors, damaging to or the cause of excessive littering on College Property, excessively disruptive to Ordinary College Operations, or that otherwise violate College policy or do not conform to the College’s time, place, and manner restrictions.
g. Individuals and groups submitting reservations will be notified within two (2) business day if their reservations are confirmed or denied.
6. If a reservation submission is denied, the College will provide a timely written explanation for the denial and make reasonable efforts to work with the individual or group whose reservation was denied to facilitate its approval.
7. The College reserves the right to cancel any Public Forum reservation or terminate any activity already in progress if anyone participating in the activity engages in any communication that is excluded from Speech as defined in Policy 10.10, or engages in conduct that is prohibited by Policy 10.10, state or federal law, municipal ordinance, or any other applicable law or regulation.