At Dartmouth, we know that our campus thrives when every member of our community feels free and empowered to share their perspectives, challenge ideas and take part in meaningful dialogue. Freedom of expression and dissent is, therefore, a powerful tradition at Dartmouth, shaping our community's legacy of producing the next generation of leaders. This engagement in expression is critical to building excellence and central to Dartmouth’s mission.
Dartmouth has a number of campus partners to help students navigate the policies protecting free expression and dissent while ensuring the safety and rights of the community. This page provides information for organizing and conducting expressive events and demonstrations on Dartmouth’s campus.
Dartmouth’s Freedom of Expression and Dissent Policy:
Freedom of expression and dissent is protected by Dartmouth regulations. Dartmouth prizes and defends the right of free speech and the freedom of the individual to make their own disclosures, while at the same time recognizing that such freedom exists in the context of the law and in responsibility for one's own actions. The exercise of these rights must not deny the same rights to any other individual. The institution therefore both fosters and protects the rights of individuals to express dissent.
Protest or demonstration shall not be discouraged so long as neither force nor the threat of force is used, and so long as the orderly processes of the institution are not deliberately obstructed. Membership in the Dartmouth community carries with it, as a necessary condition, the agreement to honor and abide by this policy.
Freedom of Expression Resources
Policies Related to Expressive Activities1
- Use of the College Green and Campus Grounds
- Unmanned Aircraft (Drones) Operation Policy
- Filming and Photography on the Dartmouth Campus
- Right to Privacy
- Federal Limitations on Political Campaign-Related Activities
- Outdoor Event Reservation Policy
- Buildings and Facilities
- Excessive Noise Policy
- Sponsorship of Events by Departments and Recognized Organizations
- Use of Dartmouth Facilities
- Outside Speaker Event Expectations2
Guidelines for Conduct
- Principles of Community
- Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy and Resolution Procedures
- Notice of Nondiscrimination
- Equal Opportunity
- Undergraduate Student Affairs: Standards of Conduct
- Group Accountability Statement
- Geisel School: Medical Student Handbook
- Guarini School: Academic and Conduct Regulations
- Thayer School: Student Handbook
- Tuck School: Student Handbook
Related Initiatives
Dartmouth is dedicated to fostering a rich educational environment by supporting the open expression of diverse perspectives on campus. We encourage departments, programs, and recognized organizations to invite speakers with the widest possible range of views who can contribute meaningfully to our community's intellectual and cultural growth. To assist with this process, the following programs are available to offer guidance and support in bringing speakers to campus.
Dartmouth Dialogues
Dartmouth Dialogues is our shared commitment to expanding programming across the institution dedicated to facilitating conversations and skills that bridge political and personal divides.
The Dialogue Project
The Dialogue Project provides training in the development of essential collaborative dialogue skills—fostering a community that cultivates the respectful and open exchange of ideas. Programming for students, faculty, and staff builds skills in such topics as empathetic listening, managing emotions, navigating conversations, and finding points of connection.
The Discourse Fund
Dartmouth student organizations play an integral role in facilitating dialogue, enhancing the student cocurricular experience, and elevating the profile of the College. With that, this fund is intended to provide active, recognized undergraduate student organizations in good standing with the opportunity to apply for funding for programming promoting discourse at Dartmouth.
Open Expression Facilitators
The Office of Student Life sponsors and supports an Open Expression Facilitator Program where faculty and staff serve as neutral observers at designated events, while also providing guidance to student organizations on the Freedom of Expression and Dissent policy. An Open Expression Facilitator's role is to provide a presence at, and, if necessary, address disruption at qualifying events hosted by recognized undergraduate student organizations, and offer guidance on FED policy and guidelines. OEFs are neutral observers serving without bias.
LiveSafe
The LiveSafe app is the easiest way to communicate with DoSS in the moment, allowing members of the Dartmouth community to easily and immediately seek assistance.” LiveSafe will be used by Dartmouth and DoSS to share important information, and live updates during events and activities.
Doxxing Resources
These guidelines contain potential actions targets of doxxing may take to navigate these complex and upsetting situations by leveraging law enforcement, public, and, to the extent possible, campus resources.
- Nothing in these policies, rules, and regulations should be interpreted, applied, or enforced to interfere with, restrain, or coerce Dartmouth employees in the exercise of their rights to engage in protected, concerted activity under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act. ↩︎
- Council on Student Organizations (COSO) Policy. Applies to COSO recognized organizations only. ↩︎