Virginia Tech’s Policy 5000 has changed the way students can gather on campus, causing difficulties for students to host events.
Why It Matters: Virginia Tech’s Policy 5000 has imposed certain restrictions for student organizations to gather on campus.
- The enforcement of these restrictions could be a result of Students for Palestinian Justice protests that gained national attention last spring.
Flashback: Last spring, Virginia Techs held numerous Pro-Palestinian protests. These protests led to the detainment of Virginia Tech students, faculty and staff.
- Students like Emon Green, a Virginia Tech senior and member of Students for Palestinian Justice believe that the strict enforcement of Policy 5000 this year is a drastic change from last spring.
- Green stated, “The policy itself was already on the books. Like other policies it was broken regularly (specifically on game days) and Virginia Tech paid it no mind. Even at the onset of the encampment, this policy was not enforced in the manner it later would be – as police informed us that we could “stay as long as [we] want as long as the tents [came] down.” Of course, Virginia Tech, when it became seemingly convenient to do so, arbitrarily enforced the policy and sent the police (who had prior told us we could stay as long as we want) to arrest us so the university could brush off our demands using the excuse that we were non-compliant.”
- The policy has been enforced post-protests, after the university received national criticism. Green expressed, “After this spectacle reasonably caused widespread negative sentiment toward the University (Tim Sands specifically), it became clear to Virginia Tech that it had to further repress dissent to prevent any organized campaigns for change from students and faculty. This is when, and why, the new policy 5000 was written; a policy which makes displays of public discontent and dissent extremely difficult and in some cases impossible.”
Zoom In: Virginia Tech’s Policy 5000 is a fourteen-page document describing how students are allowed to gather on campus.
- Per the policy, “Any person on or in university Real Property who engages in unlawful behavior or violates university policy, standards or guidelines may be asked by a university official authorized to act as an agent of the university to leave the property. Failure to comply with such requests may constitute trespassing under Virginia state law and may lead to disciplinary action and/or arrest. The university is not obligated to tolerate events that interfere with any lawful mission, process, or function of the institution. Request for approval of events may be denied if they pose a clear and present danger to university students, employees and facility users.”
- While this may seem broad, the policy further details additional forms, guidelines, and approvals students must adhere to prior to hosting an event.
What we’re watching: As student organizations continue to gather on campus, the level of policy enforcement is to be determined.
- Last spring students were met with an increased police presence and forcibly removed from campus properties.
- Green believes that the enforcement of Policy 5000 is not just a Students for Palestinian Justice problem, but rather a problem for all students on campus.
- Green stated, “We – not just SJP, but several student groups – have had to change our tact. There is no guarantee that if we do a march and chant that all of us marching will not be hit with student conduct referrals or arrested; in fact, there’s a decent chance that we will under the new policy 5000 (especially if we’re challenging the University’s position on Palestine). This is only one example of the effect amongst many. But we (i.e. you, me, and every other student) must keep in mind that policy 5000 is not the reason we face the threat of punishment for standing up for what’s right; it is only the tool used to excuse unjust punishment.”
Virginia Tech Police Department declined to comment on this topic.
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