FORT WAYNE — The Indiana University Board of Trustees voted Friday to approve a change to the university's expressive activity policy, which sets guidelines for when, where and how the IU community can protest on campus.
Approved university events that take place between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be allowed, but require prior approval. However, protesting, making speeches and circulating petitions during that same time frame remain prohibited under the new revisions.
Under the original policy that went into effect Aug. 1, expressive activity is defined as “assemblies, speech, distribution of written material, carrying of signs, picketing, protests, counter-protests or sit-ins," and is not allowed on campus
The policy is the center of a lawsuit by the ACLU of Indiana. The lawsuit represents several members of the IU community and is filed against the Indiana University Board of Trustees and IU President Pamela Whitten.
“IU has approved a new policy that prohibits all expressive activity if it takes place between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., even if the activity is not at all disruptive, such as standing silently, holding a sign, wearing a t-shirt with a communicative message, or discussing current events with friends," ACLU of Indiana legal director Ken Falk said in a statement "The protections of the First Amendment do not end at 11:00 p.m., only to begin again at 6:00 a.m.”
