Protocol for Governing Meetings Held on College Premises

1. The College has a duty under the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (as amended by the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023) to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to secure and promote freedom of speech and academic freedom within the law for staff and students and for visiting speakers. The College’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech (“Code of Practice”) sets out the College’s commitment to freedom of speech, outlines the various legislative frameworks under which such freedoms must be upheld and may be circumscribed, and summarises the procedures used by the College to manage these issues. This Annex is issued under paragraph 6.7 of the College’s Code of Practice, which reads: “Where any person or body to whom this Code of Practice applies is seeking to hold a College event or meeting on College premises which is outside of the normal academic curriculum the processes in the Annex shall be followed, except where the event or meeting is purely commercial.”

2. This Protocol applies to all students, other members and employees of the College, in respect of all meetings, outdoor and indoor, on College premises including meetings organised by conferences and other outside bodies.

3. Duty to give Notice

4.1 Notice of the intention to hold a meeting anywhere on College premises (including within student bedrooms) must be given to the Domestic Bursar or his designate (usually the Conference Coordinator or the Events Coordinator) by the organisers of the meeting, at least four full days in advance of the meeting.

4.2 The duty to give notice shall not apply to the following meetings:

    4.2.1 Meetings where the intention of the organisers is that only resident members of the University will be present;

    4.2.2 Meetings where the expectation of the organisers is that not more than fifty persons will attend and that no persons who are not resident members of the University will address the meeting.

4.3 The event booking request shall state the name of the member of the College taking responsibility for the meeting, and details of the event including:

• Proposed location of the event and whether it will be online, in person or hybrid;
• Names, addresses and College (if any) of the organisers;
• Name of the organisation (if any) making the arrangements;
• Name of any expected speaker(s) and whether scheduled speakers are/are not resident members of the University.

5. The organisers of any meeting held on College premises shall comply with any conditions set by the College in respect of the organisation of the meeting. Such conditions shall be in accordance with the paragraph 6.4 of the Code of Conduct.

6. For the avoidance of doubt, in addition to the grounds set out in paragraph 6.2 of the Code of Conduct, the College may still refuse permission for the use of its premises on any or all of the following grounds:

    6.1 because of a prior booking or planned use of the room or part of the College in question either by the College or some other body;

    6.2 because no member of the College is willing to accept responsibility for the meeting in question;

    6.3 because it is not reasonably practicable for some other reason to organise the meeting as intended by the organisers.

7. The organisers of any meeting on College premises, and persons attending that meeting, must comply with instructions given by any College Officer or any other person authorised to act on behalf of the College (including the University Proctors) in the proper discharge of their duties. Any person attending a meeting who is not a member of the College may be required at any time to leave the College premises, notwithstanding any payment that he or she may have made to attend the meeting.

8. The duty to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to secure and promote freedom of speech and academic freedom within the law also applies to the University in respect of all its members, students and employees and visiting speakers. The College may invite the Proctors to enter its premises and authorise them to act in the discharge of their University duties. Members of the College are reminded that the University disciplinary regulations apply on College premises as elsewhere in the precincts of the University, and their attention is particularly drawn to the following University regulations of discipline:

“Whereas it is the duty of the University to maintain good order and discipline within the University:

i. No member of the University shall intentionally or recklessly disrupt or impede or attempt to disrupt or impede the activities and functions of the University, or any part thereof, or of any College.

ii. No member of the University shall intentionally or recklessly impede freedom of speech or lawful assembly within the precincts of the University. No member of the University shall intentionally or recklessly fail to give any notice which is required to be given to a University officer or a University authority under the terms of a Code of Practice issued under the provisions of section 43 of the Education (No 2) Act 1986.

iii. All members of the University shall comply with any instructions given by a University officer, or by any other person authorised to act on behalf of the University, in the proper discharge of his or her duties.

iv. All members of the University shall state their names and the Colleges to which they belong when asked by a Proctor, or other person in authority in the University or in any of the Colleges of the University.”

9. The attention of organisers of public meetings and assemblies is drawn to sections 11 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, concerning processions and assemblies. Other legal requirements may affect the conduct of meetings. A speaker who incites an audience to violence or to breach of the peace or to racial hatred commits a criminal offence. Moreover, an assembly of persons, even if directed to lawful purposes, ceases to be lawful if it threatens serious public disorder or breaches of the peace.

10. Any person who is in any doubt about the application of this Protocol to any meeting in the College is under an obligation to consult the Domestic Bursar who shall determine whether the provisions of the Protocol apply to the meeting in question.

11. In this Protocol the phrase “resident member of the University” shall bear its usual meaning save that it shall also include resident members of Wolfson College.

12. Breach by any member of the College of any of the requirements of this Protocol may be treated as a serious disciplinary offence.

Code of Conduct approved by Council on 24 June 2024