1.30 Facility Use – Political Activities/Voter Registration Policy
I. Purpose
To establish guidelines for the use of campus facilities for political or voter registration activities. The principles which guide this use are:
- Visiting political leaders are an important part of the Bucks County Community College constituency and should have positive feelings about their experiences on campus.
- Visits by political leaders are an important enrichment of the academic and extracurricular programs of the college.
- The college maintains impartiality with respect to political activities and political campaigns.
- Public spaces on the campuses of the college are appropriate places for activities for election/political and voter registration related activities.
II. Scope
This policy applies to campus organizations, entities or individuals seeking to schedule campus events offering voter registration opportunities, elected officials, government officials, candidates for public office and guest lectures by governmental political figures outside of regular classroom hours.
III. General
Political Activities
Approval for the events listed above must be sought from the President’s office at least seven days prior to visiting the campus. The request must include a complete description of the event or visit, including its purpose and the expected number of persons who may be visiting the campus. This provision applies even if campus indoor space is not sought.
The college commits to impartiality with respect to the scheduling of political activities on campus and if requested will provide equal time and similar circumstances to all candidates for a political office.
Event Guidelines
No partisan posters, handbills, campaign signs or paraphernalia may be posted on any surfaces relating to such visits or to political campaigns or candidacy. Announcements of such visits will be permitted in accord with existing campus policies.
The college name, logo, or identification will not be used in conjunction with any political campaign literature or paraphernalia. Such use will be limited to news releases from the college public relations office or the use of the college logo as background on a lectern.
No college resources including personnel, materials or equipment will be used to support partisan political events unless the customary expenses for such are reimbursed to the college by the sponsors using the schedule provided in Policy 6.2 Facilities Use.
Voter Registration
The College will host campus voter registration activity for two consecutive days and evenings during both the fall and spring semester each academic year. Voter registration hours will be from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Registration activities will take place in areas designated by college administration on each campus. Tables will be provided for officially recognized political parties as well as one table for non-partisan activity, e.g. League of Women Voters.
No political candidate may be present and/or campaigning during voter registration. No non-candidate may campaign on behalf of any candidate during voter registration.
Each organization will be permitted to have a total of three representatives present during registration activity. Each group shall be permitted to have one (1) circulating group representative to distribute voter registration literature, not campaign literature. Each group will be permitted to have campaign literature and political material displayed for pick up on its table.
The college will publicize the event through its internal student communication systems.
IV. Procedures
None
V. Approval
Board of Trustees April 13, 2017
VI. Responsibility
President