Civic Responsibilities at the University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota values civic engagement and its long history of peaceful protests that comply with our policies and laws. 

• We value multiple and diverse perspectives, inclusivity, and academic freedom and responsibility. 
• We are a community that is free from violence, threats, and intimidation and that respects the rights of students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University.
• The use of University property, including outdoor spaces, must comply with University policies. 
• All students must follow Board of Regents Policy: Student Conduct Code. 
• All community members are expected to conduct themselves consistent with Board of Regents Policy: Code of Conduct. 

These policies apply to spontaneous events (events without a permit) attended by faculty, staff, students and visitors to our community and are applied in a content-neutral way.

You are allowed to:

• Include up to 50 (100 in Rochester and Twin Cities)  participants.
• Gather at places like plazas, squares, grassy areas, or other open spaces. 
• Include one handheld battery-operated amplification device (bullhorn). Bullhorns are not allowed on the Duluth campus.
• Include signs and banners smaller than 14 inches x 22 inches.
• Distribute printed materials more than 25 feet from building entrances. 
• Use water-soluble chalk on horizontal surfaces (ground) to advertise an event. Chalking must be done by recognized student groups, University departments, or offices. It must include the name of the group, department, or office that is sponsoring the event.
• Put up posters and flyers smaller than 14 inches x 22 inches on public bulletin boards or in designated kiosks on campus to advertise an event in a manner that makes them easy to remove and doesn’t damage the boards (e.g., staples or tape but not glue or paste). 

You must: 

• End your event by 10 p.m.
• Clean up the space afterwards.
• Show your ID if asked by University officials or the police.

You may not:

• Use tents or other structures or displays, and contact tables.
• Damage University property or University grounds, including with graffiti and stickers.
• Interfere with classes, research, work, or other University operations.
• Interfere with the flow of traffic or block entrances to buildings.
• Remain in buildings after scheduled closing hours.
• Threaten, harass, intimidate, stalk, or assault others.
  • For example, speech that directly and immediately threatens physical harm to a specific individual violates the Student Conduct Code.
• Pose risk to the health and physical safety of yourself or others.
• Use University facilities or services without permission. This includes using keys or passwords you’re not supposed to have.
• Student workers and other staff may not participate in a protest during their work hours. 

Violation of these policies is a violation of the Student Conduct Code and may result in immediate interim suspension while awaiting full Student Conduct Code proceedings.  

Guidelines and resources by campus

Crookston 

Duluth 

Morris 

Rochester

Twin Cities

Additional freedom of expression information: 

Duluth

Twin Cities

Framework 

The Fall Planning Framework (framework) calls for significant prevention activities including a robust communication plan, support for lawful protest in alignment with University policies, and support for all community members in challenging times—including those who may feel threatened or targeted. We are cognizant that implicit biases have the risk of affecting how policies are enforced. We are mindful that consistent policy enforcement is necessary. The framework is meant to transparently describe the planned approach, which will be applied in a content- and viewpoint-neutral manner.

The following is based on national best practices as well as learning from spring semester 2024 activities. It was created by members of the University’s Incident Response Team (IRT) and tested with small focus groups that included faculty and staff governance and student leaders. While we hope that there is no cause to utilize this framework in the coming year, we believe that a shared understanding of planned responses will support a safe and welcoming environment that also supports civic engagement and freedom of expression across the University's five campuses.

The University welcomes and supports civic engagement and free expression of ideas consistent with University of Minnesota policies, including time, place, and manner, rules for spontaneous civic engagement. It is important to note these policies are not new, nor have they been changed in advance of this fall. When civic engagement occurs, we seek to understand the nature of the event to protect protesters and to support students, staff and faculty who may feel targeted. Engagement that is inconsistent with University policies becomes civil disobedience.

Guiding principles 

Our guiding principles to respond to violations of our time, manner, and place rules are: 

1.  As safety allows, to provide education on how to comply within the policies of civic engagement at UMN, and to have University administration, not the Department of Public Safety, be the first line of early engagement and education with protestors at UMN,
2. and as safety allows, to obtain consultation and share information with faculty and student advisory groups. 

Approach 

Our goals for responding to violations of University policy are outlined in the table below. 

****Considerations of safety are paramount and will accelerate tiers of responses to protect the community as real time information dictates.

The University’s responsibility is to establish and maintain a civil, productive, inclusive, and supportive learning and working environment, free from discourteous, threatening, harassing, or other aggressive behaviors. 

The following resources have been developed to support faculty and staff: 

• Responding to Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

• Teaching in Times of Crisis 

• Message from Provost Croson (August 29)

• Message from Vice President Horstman (September 12)
   

Employee group codes of conduct: 

• Civil Service Rules, February 17, 2023
  • Rule 2: Code of Conduct, Discrimination, Harassment, Nepotism and Political Activity
• Academic Professional and Administrative Employees: Performance Management

• AFSCME Locals 3800, 3801 CBA (6/30/25)

• Teamsters Local 320 CBA (6/30/25)
  • Articles covering security, discipline, grievance, discrimination
• Contracts for other unions, including Broadcast Technicians, Printers, Law Enforcement, plus Crafts and Trades are available on the Office of Human Resources website

Board of Regents policies

Board of Regents Student Conduct Code

Resolving Alleged Student Conduct Code Violations

Distribution of Temporary Information through Publications, Signs, Banners or Chalking

Board of Regents Policy: Code of Conduct

Board of Regents Policy: Academic Freedom and Responsibility

Crookston policies

Resolving Non-Academic Student Conduct Code Violations – Crookston  

Distribution of Temporary Information through Publications, Signs, Banners or Chalking

Campus Specific Requirements: Crookston

Duluth policies

UMD Student Conduct Code Procedure

Using and Leasing Outdoor Space: Duluth 

Campus Specific Requirements: Duluth

Morris policies

Morris Student Conduct Code Procedure 

Campus Specific Requirements: Morris 

Rochester policies

Rochester Student Conduct Code Procedure

Campus Specific Requirements: Rochester

Peace Plaza Venue Request

Twin Cities policies

Twin Cities Student Conduct Code Procedure

Using and Leasing Outdoor Space: Twin Cities 

Campus Specific Requirements: Twin Cities