UC Berkeley’s Principles of Community guide our personal and collective behavior and how we interact with one another. One of those principles is Free Speech/Freedom of Expression.
There are hundreds of ways and places on campus to express one’s Free-Speech rights. The campus’ Time, Place and Manner policies specify activities that are not permitted on the Berkeley campus without specific, documented permission obtained in advance from appropriate campus personnel*. Consistent with direction from University of California Office of the President’s Statement on Policies Impacting Expressive Activities,
these prohibited activities are summarized below in a digestible format.
- Placing or posting any objects or materials, including signs or posters, outside designated signboards and kiosks.
- Attaching anything to campus buildings, structures, benches, statues, fountains, or natural features.
- Erecting or placing standing signs or structures (e.g., sandwich boards or tents) on campus property.
- Sleeping at night outside or inside non-residential campus buildings.
- Blocking building entrances, hallways, roads, and walkways (expressive activity is permitted on walkways if pedestrians and emergency and accesibility vehicles can pass unimpeded).
- Wearing masks or face coverings is permissible for all persons who are complying with University policies and applicable laws.** It is not permissible to mask or cover your face with the purpose of concealing your identity to evade consequences while violating campus policy or engaging in criminal activity on campus.
- Not identifying yourself when asked to do so by campus personnel who show their credentials, and are implementing campus regulations.
- Disrupting or interfering with campus operations.
*If you are a recognized student group and would like to hold an expressive activity but are not sure from whom to obtain permission, please contact your advisor or Student Union Event Services for guidance.
**Learn more about university guidelines for masking/face covering.