UW-Madison publishes protest guidelines to distinguish between activism and disruption

In an effort to promote a safe and productive environment for debate, UW-Madison officials are setting protest guidelines for students.

Interim Dean of Students Argyle Wade said he hopes to continue UW-Madison’s legacy of engaged debate on important topics, but stressed the importance of protesting in a peaceful manner.

“We need to make sure that when students protest, they don’t impede the free speech of others, even when the views being expressed may be unpopular,” Wade said in a university press release.

The guidelines were created to help individuals and groups on campus plan for events, including guest speakers, protests, counter-protests and demonstrations. They provide students with behavior expectations when participating in campus activities that might address controversial issues.

“We want to emphasize that we enforce these guidelines in an objective, non-partisan manner and they will apply equally to all groups and points of view,” Wade said.

The UW-Madison Protest Administrative Review Team reviewed a draft of the guidelines last spring and provided feedback. The university will share these policies with registered student organizations and provide opportunities for student feedback throughout the fall semester.