Stanford
Freedom of Expression

Other Campus Spaces

In addition to the designated outdoor event spaces, many parts of campus may be freely used for small gatherings and other activities by students, faculty, and staff. Meeting spaces and rooms can also be reserved and used per their units’ policies. 

On this page:

Other Outdoor Campus Spaces Pathways, Sidewalks, Roads and Bike Lanes Other Campus Spaces, Including Indoor Spaces 

 

Other Outdoor Campus Spaces

Stanford’s campus is enormous, with dozens of small fields, lawns, plazas, and groves, many of which don’t have names and are not subject to any reservation system. 

  • Some outdoor spaces have a particular purposes (e.g., sports fields) or are subject to reservation policies administered by the units adjacent to them (e.g., Stanford Law School has rules and a reservation system for its outdoor terrace). Where applicable, the rules governing the use and reservation of such spaces should be applied on a viewpoint-neutral basis.
  • Other outdoor areas may be freely used for small spontaneous gatherings and activities by Stanford affiliates (students, faculty, and staff). Such activities may, of course, include protests as well as the myriad other types of small gatherings that are an ordinary part of campus life. These will typically involve fewer than 100 expected participants, and should not involve any of the components that would trigger the Major Events Protocol. 
  • Gatherings in such areas are governed by all otherwise applicable rules (e.g., no structures, no amplified sound, no camping, etc.). 
  • Those seeking to use these types of interstitial areas should be particularly mindful of the Policy on Campus Disruptions. Activities near academic buildings (classrooms, offices, labs, libraries) or residences (dormitories, graduate housing) will be less likely to violate the Policy on Campus Disruptions if sound is kept below 60 decibels, pathways are not blocked, and participants stay far enough away from pathways and building entrances to allow the free flow of traffic, entry, and exit. 

Pathways, Sidewalks, Roads and Bike Lanes

Pathways, sidewalks, roads, and bike lanes must be kept open to the free flow of auto, bike, and pedestrian traffic. Gatherings or activities that block any of these violate the Campus Disruption Policy.

  • Marches, walks, runs, or races must be registered and approved pursuant to the Major Event Protocol because of their potential impact on the free flow of movement on campus.
  • Approval for such events will not be denied because of the viewpoint of marchers.
  • However, events may be limited to particular times and routes to avoid disruption of other campus activities.
  • All other rules, such as limits on sound levels, also apply to approved events.

Other Campus Spaces, Including Indoor Spaces

Many spaces on campus are designated for use by particular departments or schools, and are subject to the use and reservation policies of those units. 

  • This includes most indoor spaces such as classrooms, conference and meeting rooms, and auditoriums. Although access to such spaces for use outside of standard instructional time will not be denied based on the viewpoint of speakers or participants, content-based restrictions may apply related to the academic purpose of the space. For example, the Music Department may give priority to musical events in their spaces, though they may not discriminate against a particular singer because of the lyrics of their songs. 
  • Other spaces such as libraries or maker spaces, are designated for particular uses, and use of those spaces for other activities will likely violate the Policy on Campus Disruptions.
  • There are also many spaces on campus, such as offices and labs, that are only open to those authorized to be there.
  • Student residences are covered by the specific rules of Residential and Dining Enterprises (R&DE) and Residential Education. 
  • In addition to the particular use and reservation policies of local units, all of these spaces are also subject to the general Policy on Campus Disruptions. Before engaging in activity in one of these spaces, campus members should make sure they have permission to use the space in question and that their activity is not disrupting another authorized use of that space or nearby spaces. 
  • Events are not typically permitted inside the hallways and common areas of academic buildings (classrooms, offices, labs, libraries) due to their potential to disrupt academic activities and block the free flow of people through those hallways and common spaces. Protests in hallways and other indoor areas of academic buildings are thus likely to violate the Policy on Campus Disruptions. Local rules may allow limited reservation and use of such spaces depending on specific building characteristics (for example, in some buildings with wide hallways, food for lunch seminars is traditionally placed on a table in the hall); where relevant those should be applied in a viewpoint-neutral way. 

Departmental Spaces

For school-, department-, and unit-specific guidance on event protocols and room and space reservations, please see the following or contact the local departmental office for guidance (SUNet login may be required).

Schools

Centers and Institutes

Student Spaces

Other Central Units