Protesting on Campus

Time, Manner, and Place

• Guidelines for Speaking Out at the University of Oregon
• Free Speech and Demonstration Guidelines: Rights, Rules, Responsibilities, and Resources
• Facilities Scheduling

Media Involvement on Campus

The intent of this section is to provide resources and describe policies about media presence on campus related to activism and organizing by individual students or student organizations.

Steps for Involving Media at Your Event:

1. Invite them in advance of your event. Give them time to get through their inbox and give yourself enough time to follow up, if needed. Be clear who you are representing: yourself, a student organization, a movement. Be clear that you do not represent the University of Oregon.
2. Direct requests for university comment should be made through University Communications' media request form.
3. Students and student organizations should inform the university if they intend to contact the media by using the media request form.
4. Create a media list.
   1. Look at TV stations, radio, newspapers, etc., and get their contact information.
   2. Call your selected outlets and ask them for email addresses to send media advisories to.
   3. When you meet reporters at events, add them to your list specifically and build connections with them to build a sustainable media-movement relationship.
   4. There are several entities on campus that would be a great place to begin outreach with, such as the KWVA, the Daily Emerald, and The Insurgent, among many more!
5. Write a media advisory and send it to your created media list.
   1. A media advisory is short (one to two paragraphs) and typically includes: “Who, what, when, where, and why” for your event/mission.

Procedures: What If Something Doesn’t Go as Planned?

It’s important to know your rights in any situation that might occur when protesting. ASUO Legal Services provides a good overview of your rights.

There may be instances where counter protesters or those with an alternative viewpoint to yours may be at your event. Remember, these individuals have a right to be here as we are a public institution and must remain content neutral.

If this happens, maintain your distance, and prioritize the physical safety and well-being of you and your group. Also, remember that as you are in a public space, all parties can document the event and activities through taking photos and recording video.  

Don’t forget to follow your event plan (see Creating an Event Plan in our Activism Toolkit).