Right to Protest

The Massachusetts Board of Regional Community Colleges adopted the following policy on April 11, 1969:

1. Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general well-being of society.
2. Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of these goals. As members of the academic community, faculty members, staff, and students are encouraged in a sustained and independent search for knowledge.
3. Freedom to teach and freedom to learn depend upon appropriate opportunities and conditions in the classroom, on the campus, and in the larger community. The responsibility to secure and to respect general conditions conducive to the freedom to learn is shared by all members of the academic community, students, faculty, and staff members.
4. Roxbury Community College will respect and will defend the right of its members to lawful exercise of free speech and assembly on behalf of causes, whether popular or unpopular. These rights are properly exercised only when due regard for the rights of others is assured, and actions denying the rights of others to move or speak freely, whether or not such interference is their motive, lie outside constitutional guarantees and the obligation of the college to defend them. Therefore, if in the judgment of the President or their designee, persons are attempting to interfere with freedom of movement or speech of members or guests of the college community, or the orderly operation of the College, the President or their designee is authorized to do the following:
   1. Advise such person(s) of the impropriety of their activity and request immediate desistance from such activity. If such person fails to desist, call the appropriate authority to remove those interfering.
   2. Suspend temporarily such members of the college community who have participated in such interference and persist in such activity.
   3. Grant, as soon as reasonably possible, a hearing before an appropriate committee to any person appealing such suspension. Following such a hearing, the committee will make a recommendation to the President.
   4. Any person who involves themself in the willful destruction of college or personal property will, in addition, be answerable to charges filed with civil authorities.