Original Date: 4/14/2005 | Temporary Revision Expires 6/3/2025
Policy Contact: Vice President of Administrative Services
Policy
Bellevue College Policy 6120 will be adopted as Chapter 132H-142 of the Washington Administrative Code.
132H-142-015 Definitions.
- “College facilities” includes all owned, rented, leased, controlled, occupied, and used buildings, structures, grounds, office space, and parking lots.
- “College groups” means individuals or groups who are currently enrolled students or current employees of Bellevue College, or guests of Bellevue College who are sponsored by a recognized student organization, employee organization, or the administration of the college.
- “Expressive activity” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, informational picketing, petition circulation, the distribution of informational leaflets or pamphlets, speech-making, demonstrations, rallies, appearances of speakers in outdoor areas, protests, meetings to display group feelings or sentiments and/or other types of assemblies to share information, perspective, or viewpoints.
- “Limited public forum” means the college is a limited public forum for noncollege groups. Limited public forum locations do not include college property, buildings, or athletic fields. College buildings, rooms, and athletic fields may be rented in accordance with the college’s facilities use policy.
- “Noncollege groups” means individuals, or combinations of individuals, who are not currently enrolled students or current employees of Bellevue College and who are not officially affiliated or associated with, or invited guests of a recognized student organization, recognized employee group, or the administration of the college.
- “Public use areas” means those areas of each campus that the college has chosen to open as places where noncollege groups may assemble for expressive activity protected by the first amendment, subject to reasonable time, place, or manner restrictions.
132H-142-020 Statement of purpose.
Bellevue College District VIII is an educational institution provided and maintained by the people of the state of Washington. College facilities are reserved primarily for educational use including, but not limited to, instruction, research, public assembly of college groups, student activities and other activities directly related to the educational mission of the college. The public character of the college does not grant to individuals an unlimited license to engage in activity which limits, substantially interferes with, or otherwise disrupts the normal activities to which the college’s facilities and grounds are dedicated. Accordingly, the college designates the outdoor common areas of the college as a limited public forum dedicated to the use of college groups, subject to the time, place, and manner limitations and restrictions set forth in this policy.
The purpose of the time, place, and manner regulations set forth in this policy is to establish procedures and reasonable controls for the use of college facilities. It is intended to balance the college’s responsibility to fulfill its mission as a state educational institution of Washington with the interests of college groups seeking to assemble in common areas of the campus for expressive activity. Bellevue College recognizes that college groups should be accorded the opportunity to utilize the facilities and grounds of the college to the fullest extent possible.
The college designates the following area(s) as the sole limited public forum area(s) for use by noncollege groups for expressive activities on campus:
- Building C courtyard between building C and D extending out from the fountain for groups less than 30; and
- Southern courtyard, just north of Carlson Theater if over 30 participants are expected.
132H-142-030 Time, place, and manner permissions.
- Subject to the regulations and requirements of this policy, groups may use the campus limited forums for expressive activities between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
- Any sound amplification device may only be used at a volume which does not disrupt or disturb the normal use of classrooms, offices, or laboratories or any previously scheduled college event or activity.
- Groups are encouraged to notify the campus public safety department no later than 24 hours in advance of an event. However, unscheduled events are permitted so long as the event does not materially disrupt any other function occurring at the facility.
- All sites used for expressive activity should be cleaned up and left in their original condition and may be subject to inspection by a representative of the college after the event. Reasonable charges may be assessed against the sponsoring organization for the costs of extraordinary clean up or for the repair of damaged property.
- All fire, safety, sanitation, or special regulations specified for the event are to be obeyed. The college cannot and will not provide utility connections or hook-ups for purposes of expressive activity conducted pursuant to this policy.
- The event must not be conducted in such a manner to obstruct vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, or other traffic or otherwise interfere with ingress or egress to the college, or to college buildings or facilities, or to college activities or events. The event must not create safety hazards or pose unreasonable safety risks to college students, employees, or invitees to the college.
- The event must not substantially and materially interfere with educational activities inside or outside any college building or otherwise prevent the college from fulfilling its mission and achieving its primary purpose of providing an education to its students. The event must not materially infringe on the rights and privileges of college students, employees, or invitees to the college.
- There shall be no overnight camping on college facilities or grounds. Camping is defined to include sleeping, carrying on cooking activities, or storing personal belongings for personal habitation, or the erection of tents or other shelters or structures used for purposes of personal habitation.
- College facilities may not be used for commercial sales, solicitations, advertising, or promotional activities, unless: (a) Such activities serve educational purposes of the college; and (b) Such activities are under the sponsorship of a college department or office or officially chartered student club.
- The event must also be conducted in accordance with any other applicable college policies and regulations, local ordinances, and state or federal laws.
132H-142-040 Additional requirements for noncollege groups.
The limited public forum may not be used on the same date as any previously scheduled college event or activity at the site (aside from regularly scheduled classes) where it is reasonably anticipated that more than 500 people will attend the college event or activity. Noncollege groups may use designated public use areas identified in this policy for expressive activity between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Noncollege groups that seek to engage in expressive activity on the designated public use area(s) are encouraged to provide notice to the campus public safety office no later than 24 hours prior to the event, along with the following information solely to ensure:
- The area is not otherwise scheduled; and
- To give the college an opportunity to assess any security needs:
- The name, address, and telephone number of a contact person for the individual, group, entity, or organization sponsoring the event; and
- The date, time, and requested location of the event; and
- The nature and purpose of the event; and
- The estimated number of people expected to participate in the event.
132H-142-050 Distribution of materials.
College groups may post information on bulletin boards, kiosks, and other display areas designated for that purpose, and may distribute materials throughout the open areas of campus. The sponsoring organization is encouraged, but not required, to include its name and address on the distributed information. Compliance with relevant procedure(s) around posting of materials on campus is expected.
Noncollege groups may distribute materials only at the site designated for noncollege groups.
All posted materials shall be dated and posted in accordance with the manner provided at the site. Posted materials may remain posted for a duration agreed upon at time of approval, after which they will be removed. Refer to procedures for posting materials on campus for additional detail.
132H-142-060 Trespass.
Noncollege groups who violate these rules, or whose conduct jeopardizes the health or safety of others, or whose conduct unreasonably impedes the college in pursuit of its educational mission will be advised of the specific nature of the violation, and if they persist in the violation, will be requested by the college president or designee to leave the college property. Such a request will be deemed to withdraw the license or privilege to enter onto or remain upon any portion of the college facilities of the person or group of persons requested to leave, and subject such individuals to arrest under the criminal trespass provisions of chapter 9A.52 RCW or Bellevue municipal ordinance.
When the college revokes the license or privilege of any person to be on college property, temporarily or for a stated period of time, that person may file a request for review of the decision with the vice president administrative services or designee within 10 days of receipt of the trespass notice. The request must contain the reasons why the individual disagrees with the trespass notice. The trespass notice will remain in effect during any review period. The decision of the vice president of administrative services or designee will be the final decision of the college and should be issued within five work days.
Members of the college community (students, faculty, and staff) who do not comply with this policy as described above will be reported to the appropriate college office for action in accordance with established college policies.
Relevant Laws and Other Resources
- WAC 132H-142
- 6550P Posting of Literature
- 6100 College Property Use
Revision History
Original 4/14/2005
Revisions 5/21/2009; 9/17/2012; 5/13/2015; temporary approval extended to 6/3/2025
Approved By
Board of Trustees
Last Updated December 6, 2024