DGC. Employee Rights and Responsibilities: Employee Expression and use of College Facilities (Local/BP)
For expression and use of College District facilities and grounds by students and student organizations, see FLA. For expression and use of College District facilities and grounds by the community, including by nonstudents and organizations that are not registered student organizations, see GD.
Expressive activities means any speech or expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment to the United Sates Constitution or by Section 8, Article I, Texas Constitution, and includes assemblies, protests, speeches, and the distribution of written material, the carrying of signs, and the circulation of petitions. In accordance with Texas Education Code 51.9315, expressive activities does not include the following:
- Commercial speech;
- Defamation;
- Unlawful harassment;
- Incitement to imminent unlawful activity;
- Obscenity; or
- Threats to engage in unlawful activity.
DISTRIBUTOIN OF LITERATURE
Written or printed materials, handbills, photographs, pictures, films, tapes, or other visual or auditory materials not sponsored by the College District shall not be sold, circulated, distributed, or posted on any College District premises by any College District employee or registered employee organization [see FKC], except in accordance with this policy.
The College District shall not be responsible for, nor shall the College District endorse, the contents of any materials distributed by employees or registered employee organizations that is not sponsored by the College District.
Materials distributed under the supervision of instructional personnel as a part of instruction or other authorized classroom activities shall not be governed by this policy.
LIMITATIONS ON CONTENT
Materials shall not be distributed by employees or registered employee organizations on College District property if:
- The materials are obscene.
- The materials contain defamatory statements about public figures or others.
- The materials advocate imminent lawless or disruptive action and are likely to incite or produce such action.
- The materials are considered prohibited harassment. [See DIA and FFD]
- The materials constitute non-permissible solicitation. [See FI]
- The materials infringe upon intellectual property rights of the College District. [See CT]
TIME. PLACE, AND MANNER RESTRICTIONS
Distribution of the materials shall be conducted in a manner that:
- Is not disruptive; [See FLB]
- Does not impede reasonable access to College District facilities.
- Does not result in damage to College District property.
- Does not coerce, badger, or intimidate a person.
- Does not interfere with the rights of others; and
- Does not violate local, state, or federal laws or College District policies and procedures.
The distributor shall clean the area around which the literature was distributed of any materials that were discarded or leftover.
The dean of students shall designate times, locations, and means by which materials that are appropriate for distribution, as provided in this policy, may be made available or distributed by students or registered student organizations to students or others in College District facilities and in areas that are not considered common outdoor areas. The following are locations that are typically allowed for distribution:
Levelland Campus: outside, west entrance to the Student Center
Reese Center: outside, east entrance to Building 8
Lubbock Downtown Center: outside, east main entrance to the south of doors
Lubbock Career & Technical Center: outside, west main entrance to the south of doors
Plainview Center: outdoors, south main entrance, to east of doors
POSTING OF SIGNS
For the purposes of this policy, “sign” shall be defined as a billboard, decal, notice, placard, poster, banner, or any kind of hand-held sign; and “posting” shall be defined as any means used for displaying a sign.
Except for signs that violate the restrictions in this policy and administrative procedures, an employee or registered employee organization may publicly post a sign on College District property in common outdoor areas and in areas or locations designated by the dean of students. No object other than a sign may be posted on College District property.
Approval of signposting must be made by the following offices or personnel on the respective College District employees:
Levelland Campus: Director of Student Life
Reese Center: Director of the Center
Lubbock Downtown Center: Dean of the Center
Lubbock Career & Technical Center: Executive Director of the Center
Plainview Center: Director of the Center
RESTRICTIONS
A sign shall not be larger than 22 inches by 28 inches, unless authorized by the dean of students. A sign shall not be attached or posted:
- To a shrub or plant.
- To a tree, except by string to its trunk.
- To a permanent sign installed for another purpose
- To a fence or chain or its supporting structure.
- To a brink, concrete, or masonry structure
- To a statue, monument, or similar structure.
- On or adjacent to a fire hydrant; or
- In a college district building, except on a bulletin board designated for that purpose.
REMOVAL
An employee or registered employee organization shall remove each sign not later than 14 days after posting or, if it relates to an event, not longer than 24 hours after the event to which it relates has ended.
A sign posted in accordance with this section shall not be removed without permission from the dean of students, the employee, or the registered employee organization.
DISCLAIMER
Materials distributed by a registered employee organization must include a disclaimer indicating that the materials are not sponsored by the College District and do not represent the views of the College District or College District officials or employees.
USE OF FACILITIES AND GROUNDS
The facilities and grounds of the College District shall be made available to employees or registered employee organizations [see FKC] when such use does not conflict with use by, or any of the policies and procedures of, the College District. The requesting employees or employee organization shall pay all expenses incurred by their use of facilities in accordance with a fee schedule developed by the Board.
REQUESTS
To request permission to meet or host a speaker in College District facilities, interested employees or registered employee organizations shall file a written request with the executive director of marketing and communications in accordance with administrative procedures.
The employee or the registered employee organization making the request shall indicate that they have read and understand the policies and rules governing use of College District facilities and that they will abide by those rules.
APPROVAL
The executive director of marketing and communications shall approve or reject the request in accordance with provisions and deadlines set out in this policy and administrative procedures, without regard to the religious, political, philosophical, ideological, academic viewpoint, or other content of the speech likely to be associated with the employee’s or registered employee organization’s use of the facility.
Approval shall not be granted when the official has reasonable grounds to believe that:
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- The College District facility requested is unavailable, inadequate, or inappropriate to accommodate the proposed use at the time requested.
- The applicant is under a disciplinary penalty or sanction prohibiting the use of the facility.
- The proposed use includes non-permissible solicitation [see DZ].
- The proposed use would constitute an immediate and actual danger to the peace or security of the College District that available law enforcement officials could not control with reasonable efforts.
- The applicant owes a monetary debt to the College District and the debt is considered delinquent.
- The proposed activity would disrupt or disturb the regular academic program.
- The proposed use would result in damage to or defacement of property or the applicant has previously damaged College District property; or
- The proposed activity would constitute unauthorized joint sponsorship with an outside group.
PROHIBITED ACTIONS INSIDE FACILITIES
- Using a device to amplify sound, beyond normally acceptable room mic and speaker volumes,
while engaging in expressive activities on campus during class hours that
- Intimidate others
- Interfere with campus operations; or
- Interfere with SPC employees or a peace officers lawful performance of duty
- Wearing a disguise or other means of concealing a person’s identity while engaging
in expressive activities with the intent to
- Obstruct the enforcement of the College District’s rules or the law by avoiding identification;
- Intimidate others; or
- Interfere with the College District employee’s or peace officer’s lawful performance of duties.
- Engaging in expressive activities on College District property between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
COMMON OUTDOOR AREA EXCEPTION
Common outdoor areas are traditional public forums and are not subject to the approval procedures. The Board will designate the public forum areas on the College District’s properties. Employees and employee organizations may engage in expressive activities in common outdoor areas, unless they violate the following time, place and manner of expression outlined below:
- The person’s conduct is unlawful.
- The use would constitute an immediate actual anger to the peace or security of the College District that available law enforcement officials could not control with reasonable efforts.
- The use would materially or substantially disrupt or disturb the regular academic
program including:
- Using a device to amplify sound while engaging in expressive activities during class
hours that
- Intimidate others;
- Interfere with campus operations; or
- Interfere with the College District’s employee’s or peace officer’s lawful performance of duties
- Using a device to amplify sound while engaging in expressive activities during class
hours that
b. During the last two weeks of a term, engaging in expressive activities
-
- In the common outdoor areas of the College District properties in a manner that materially and substantially district the functioning of the college;
- By inviting speakers to speak on campus;
- Using a device to amplify sound;
- By using drums or other percussive instruments;
c. Camping or erecting tents or other living accommodations on College District property
d. Wearing a disguise or other means of concealing a person’s identity while engaging in expressive activities with the intent to
-
- Obstruct the enforcement of the College District’s rules or the law by avoiding identification;
- Intimidate others; or
- Interfere with the College District employee’s or peace officer’s lawful performance of duties.
e. Lowering the College District’s flag of the United States or of the State of Texas with the intent to raise the flag of another nation or a flag representing an organization or group of people; and
f. Engaging in expressive activities on College District property between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
- The use would result in damage to or defacement of property
Common outdoor areas approved by the Board for each College District location are as follows:
- Levelland Camus at west entry to the Student Center on the brick pavers and in the quad area between the Administration building and the Student Center
- Reese Center in the grassy area between buildings 1, 2 and 3.
- Plainview Center outside of building but to the side of entrance as to not impede entrance to buildings.
- Lubbock Career and Technical Center outside of building but to the side of entrance as to not impede entrance to buildings.
- Lubbock Downton Center outside of the Southeast corner of the building as to not impede entrance to building or parking.
ANNOUCNEMENTS AND PUBLICITY
In accordance with administrative procedures, all employees and registered employee organizations shall be given access on the same basis for making announcements and publicizing their meetings and activities.
IDENTIFICATION
Employees or registered employee organizations distributing materials on campus or using College District facilities shall provide identification when requested to do so by a College District representative.
VIOLATIONS OF POLICY
Failure to comply with this policy and associated procedures shall result in appropriate administrative action, including but not limited to, confiscation of nonconforming materials, disciplinary action or registered employee organization’s use of College District facilities, and/or other disciplinary action in accordance with the College District’s discipline policies and procedures [see DDD and DH].
INTERFERENCE WITH EXPRESSION
Employees, or employee organizations that interfere with the expressive activities permitted by this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the College District’s discipline policies and procedures [see DDD and DH].
APPEALS
Decisions made by the administration in accordance with this policy may be appealed in accordance with DGBA(LOCAL), as applicable.
PUBLICATION
This policy and associated procedures must be posted on the College District’s website and distributed in the employee handbooks and other appropriate publications. They must also be distributed to employees at orientation.
Review and Responsibility:
Responsible Party: Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Review: Every five years
Interim Approval by Executive Council: October 15, 2025
Anticipated Approved by Administrative Council: November 5, 2025
Anticipated Approved by Board of Regents: November 13, 2025