Policy & Legal Resources

Certain laws, regulations, and policies apply to every UW institution regarding civil discourse, including the following:

• The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article I, Sections 3, 4, 18, and 19 protect the freedom of expression of those subject to U.S. and Wisconsin law, respectively.
• Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter UWS 17 governs “Student Non-Academic Misconduct;” Chapter UWS  18 governs “Conduct on University Lands;” and Chapter UWS 21 governs the “Use of University Facilities.” Neither chapter can prohibit conduct or use that is speech protected by the constitutional provisions above.
• Board of Regents Policy Document 4-21 expresses the Board’s “Commitment to Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression.”

Some campuses have created websites regarding civil discourse that are accessible at the links below:

• UW-Eau Claire: First Amendment and the Freedom of Speech: Rights and Responsibilities
• UW-La Crosse: Civil Discourse and Free Speech.
• UW-Milwaukee: Free Speech, Rights and Responsibilities

To facilitate civil discourse, campuses are encouraged to adopt policies governing the following areas below, which include links to actual policies adopted by campuses.

Please note: Campuses are not required to adopt any particular policies listed below, except as expressly provided for by the laws, regulations, and policies outlined above.

Use of Space

UW-System

• Wisconsin Administrative Code
  • Section UWS 18.07: Use of campus facilities
  • Section UWS 18.11: Offenses against public peace and order
    • (6) Persons prohibited from entering university buildings
    • (7) Persons prohibited from entering university lands
  • Chapter UWS 21: Use of University Facilities

UW-Eau Claire

• Policies: Facilities Usage
• Policies: Central Campus Mall

UW-Madison

• Policy UW-2065: Restricted Use of University Unions
• Policy UW-2073: Priorities on Use of Space
• Policy UW-2078: Space/Use of Food Service Facilities
• Policy UW-6000: UW-Madison Use of Facilities and Land
• Policy UW-6001: Use of UW-Madison Facilities for Political Purposes
• Policy UW-6007: Rental Charges for UW Auditoria
• Policy UW-6012: Commercial Use of Facilities, Incentives, and Acceptance of Gifts
• UW-Madison Facility Use Guidelines

UW-Milwaukee

• Policy SAAP 6-5 Facilities, Use of

UW-Parkside

• Facilities Use Policy
• After Hours Building Usage
• Space Management Policy

UW-Platteville

• UWS 21 (https://kb.uwplatt.edu/adminservices/58288)

UW-River Falls

• AP-01-103 Use of University Facilities

UW-Stout

• Stout Policies (76-3: Facility Use)

Events

UW System

• Wisconsin Administrative Code Section UWS 18.08: Personal conduct prohibitions
  • (2) Athletic events
  • (6) Physical security compliance
  • (12) Ticket scalping

UW-Madison

• Policy UW-628: Athletic Department Facility Use
• Policy UW-2047: Registered Student Organization (RSO) Large-Event Guidelines
• Policy UW-2049: Coordination of Registered Student Organization (RSO)-Sponsored Open Major Events
• Policy UW-2050: Dining Services Programming Spaces Guidelines
• Policy UW-2052: Lakefront on Langdon Procedure
• Policy UW-2056: Orchard Street Procedure
• Policy UW-2077: Events
• Policy UW-6053: Specific Guidelines for Organized Runs in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve

UW-Milwaukee

• Major/Special Events Guidelines and Procedures

UW Oshkosh

• Special Events Protocol

UW-Parkside

• University Event Admission Policy
• University Event Security Policy
• Student Organization Sponsoring Off-Campus Event Policy

Demonstrations & Disruptive Behavior

UW System

• Wisconsin Administrative Code
  • Section UWS 17.09: Conduct subject to disciplinary action. (8) Disruption of university-authorized activities.
  • Section UWS 18.08: Personal conduct prohibitions. (6) Physical security compliance.
  • Section UWS 18.10: Offenses against public safety
  • Section UWS 18.11: Offenses against public peace and order.
    • (2) Disorderly Conduct.
    • (4) Picketing, rallies, parades, demonstrations and other assemblies.
    • (5) Sound-amplifying equipment

UW-Madison

• Policy UW-6011: Protest Guidelines

UW-Eau Claire

• Protest and Demonstration Procedures

UW-Milwaukee

• Protests in University Buildings

UW-Parkside

• Designated Areas for Unplanned “Free Speech” Events

UW-Stout

• Protest and Demonstration Procedures

UW-Whitewater

• Protest Guidelines

Postings and Signage

UW System

• Wisconsin Administrative Code Section UWS 18.08: Personal conduct prohibitions. (9) Postings and Signage.

UW-Eau Claire

• Policies: Promotional Materials

UW-Green Bay

• Banners in Academic Buildings
• Posting in Academic Buildings

UW-La Crosse

• UWLax Policies
  • D-12: Directional Signs
  • D-13: Publicity Signs
  • C-9: Posting Signage

UW-Madison

• Policy UW-6036: Banners

UW-Platteville

• Posting Policy

UW-River Falls

• AP 01-101 Sign Posting

UW-Stevens Point

• Posting/Promotions Policy

Literature Distribution

UW System

• Wisconsin Administrative Code Section UWS 18.11: Offenses against public peace and order. (8) Selling, Peddling and Soliciting.
• Wisconsin Administrative Code Section UWS 18.11: Offenses against public peace and order. (9) Campaigning in State-Owned Residence Halls.

UW-Eau Claire

• Policies: Promotional Materials
• Solicitation on University Premises

UW-La Crosse

• UW-Lax Policies
  • C-12: Solicitation

UW-Madison

• Policy UW-2076: Literature Display Areas
• Policy UW-2068: Literature Distribution
• Policy UW-2069: Time-Place-Manner of Leafletting Surveys
• Policy UW-2070: Time-Place-Manner of Free Publications

UW-Parkside

• Campus Sales, Solicitation, and Fund Raising
• Solicitation Policy

Discrimination & Hate Bias Incidents

UW System

• United States Code
  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Age Discrimination in Employment Ace of 1967
  • Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
  • Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
  • Family and Medical Leave Act of 1992
• Wisconsin Statutes
  • Section12
  • Section 106.56
  • Chapter 111, Subchapter II, Fair Employment
• Wisconsin Administrative Code, UWS 1 to 22
• Board of Regents Policy Documents Sections 14 & 17.

UW-Eau Claire

• Bias/Hate Incident Reporting

UW-Green Bay

• Bias Incident and Hate Crime Report

UW-La Crosse

• Bias Support & Education Team

UW-Madison

• Report Bias or Hate

UW-Milwaukee

• Hate/Bias

UW Oshkosh

• Bias Incident Reporting

UW-Parkside

• Bias and Hate

UW-Platteville

• Bias Incident Team

UW-River Falls

• Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT)

UW-Stevens Point

• Hate/Bias Response Team (HBRT)

UW-Stout

• Bias Incident Reporting

UW-Superior

• Bias Incident FAQs

UW-Whitewater

• Hate Bias Reporting

Harassment and Stalking

UW System

• Regent Policy 14-6
• Wisconsin Statutes
  • Section 940.32 Stalking
  • Section 947.01 Disorderly conduct
  • Section 947.013 Harassment
• Wisconsin Administrative Code
  • Section UWS 17.09
  • Section UWS 17.151
  • Section UWS 18.10

UW-Eau Claire

• Policies: Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation
• Stalking Resource

UW-Green Bay

• GB 50-17-1: Discrimination and Harassment Policy
• UWGB PD Stalking Prevention Resource

UW-La Crosse

• Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy

UW-Madison

• Equal Opportunity Complaint Investigation (no formal policy?)

UW-Milwaukee

• SAAP 5-1: Discriminatory Conduct and Consensual Relationships Policy

UW Oshkosh

• GEN 1.2.(4). Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment and Retaliation

UW-Platteville

• Policy: Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation
• Sexual Violence

UW-Parkside

• Administrative Policy 29: Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation

UW-River Falls

• AP-01-125: Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation

UW-Stevens Point

• Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Prevention and Response Policy

UW-Stout

• University Policies | University of Wisconsin – Stout (uwstout.edu) (90-61: Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy)

UW-Superior

• Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Retaliation Policy

UW-Whitewater

• Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy