Assembly and Expression Policy
Gatherings
Northern Essex Community College wholeheartedly encourages informal student gatherings to provide a welcoming community climate on campus. To establish orderly and safe spaces for all students and to facilitate easy and natural movement of students, faculty, staff and visitors through the halls and into the campus buildings, the college needs to designate appropriate places for small informal student gatherings. Generally, the following places may be used without formal scheduling:
Haverhill Campus
- NECC Campus Cafe in the Spurk Building
- Recreation areas in the Sport & Fitness Center
- Lounge area outside of the Follett Bookstore in the Behrakis One Stop Student Center
- Exterior patio between the classroom buildings
- The quad
Lawrence Campus
- Lobby areas on each floor of the El-hefni Building
- Lobby area of the Dimitry Building
- Park area outside of the Dimitry Building
- Park area behind the El-hefni Building (between Common and Essex Streets)
Personal music and conversation of one group should be contained at a level that does not disturb the neighboring group(s) or the business of the college.
Anytime that classes are in session the college requests that all members of its community and its visitors respect the need for sufficient quiet outside the classrooms and offices. Please restrict the size, noise, and level of activity of informal group gatherings during any hours that classes are scheduled on campus to the above mentioned locations.
Public Areas
The College recognizes and supports the rights of students to engage in constitutionally protected expressive activities on campus, including speaking, non-verbal expression, distributing literature, displaying signage, and circulating petitions.
Expressive activities may be conducted at any publicly accessible outdoor area on either campus. Public spaces on the Haverhill Campus include the patio area between buildings and the grass quad. Public spaces in Lawrence include the park area outside of the Dimitry Building and the park area between Common Street and Essex Street (behind the El-hefni building).
Nothing in this policy shall be interpreted as limiting expressive activities at any other publicly accessible location on College property so long as the expressive activity or related student conduct does not disrupt College activities or functions or violate any other applicable College policies. Disruptive activities, which are generally prohibited, may include obstructing building entrances or exits, walkways, sidewalks, vehicular or pedestrian traffic on or adjacent to campus, and/or interfering with the College’s academic mission, classes, meetings, events, ceremonies or with other essential processes of the College.
The College reserves the right to impose reasonable and content-neutral time, place and manner restrictions on expressive activities as constitutionally appropriate and to prohibit any expressive activities that seek to incite imminent violence or constitute harassment, threats, defamation or obscenities. It shall not be inferred or implied that any expressive activity conducted in accordance with this policy is approved or endorsed by the College.
The College strongly encourages students who wish to engage in expressive activities in publicly accessible locations on campus to contact Alison Gagne at 978-556-3964 or
agagne@necc.mass.edu in order to schedule the desired location in advance so as to minimize possible conflicts. Priority for use of specific locations is given to students who register their activities with the College.
Use of any non-publicly accessible locations on campus by any student must be scheduled through Alison Gagne, the NECC Events Coordinator.
When distributing literature on campus, it is strongly recommended that all such literature bear the name of the individual, club or organization distributing the materials. The distribution of literature for the purpose of solicitation or commercial activity is strictly prohibited.
In order to ensure that individuals and groups who are not affiliated with the College understand the College’s policies and procedures concerning expressive activities on campus, all unaffiliated individuals or groups must first contact Alison Gagne at 978-556-3964 at least 72 hours before engaging in any expressive activities on College property.