Guest Speaker Policy
At Northern Essex Community College (NECC), our mission is to educate and inspire our students to succeed. To that end, we are dedicated to creating vibrant and innovative opportunities that encourage excellence and enhance the cultural and economic life of our region. At NECC, we host cultural events; offer community educational programs, and provide resources for enrichment such as our Speaker’s Bureau and the Linda Hummel-Shea Artspace Gallery. The purpose of this policy is to assist in bringing a full, balanced, and broad range of cultural and educational programming to the College community.
As a public institution of higher education, NECC must comply with the Commonwealth’s Ethics and Campaign Finance Laws. Therefore, to the extent that the College hosts political candidates or events, it shall provide equal access to its facilities. Faculty and staff wishing to host a political candidate or event should review the Commonwealth’s Ethics and Campaign Finance laws.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to invite to campus guest speakers who have a demonstrated expertise in an area of interest to the College community. Recognized student clubs and organizations may invite to the College any person who contributes to the intellectual or cultural life of the College. Individual students wishing to invite a speaker to campus should seek the sponsorship of a recognized club or organization. Faculty and staff wishing to invite a speaker to campus shall work with their respective supervisor, dean or vice president in bringing a guest speaker to campus.
A guest speaker event may be subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions. However, such restrictions shall be content neutral and not designed or intended to prohibit protected speech. Speech that seeks to incite imminent violence or constitutes harassment, threats, defamation or obscenities is prohibited. It shall not be inferred or implied that any guest speaker event conducted in accordance with this policy is endorsed by the College.
To schedule College facilities for a guest speaker event, contact the College’s Event Coordinator at events@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3964 at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance in order to ensure proper planning and the availability of security, facility equipment and/or personnel and/or food services, to the extent requested or required. College facilities are assigned based on space availability. The President’s Office should be notified of any invitation to a political or high profile speaker.
Faculty or staff who have any questions regarding this policy should discuss with their supervisor. Students and student groups who have questions regarding this policy should contact Student Life at studentlife@necc.mass.edu or 978-556-3731.