Penn unveils draft open expression guidelines following extensive review process

After nearly two years of internal review, Penn published its first draft of revised Guidelines on Open Expression, outlining initial proposals for procedures that will govern campus demonstrations and protests on Tuesday.

Last week, Provost John Jackson Jr. announced that Penn will seek feedback on the draft throughout this semester, before presenting a final version of the updated open expression policies at a University Council meeting on Sept. 9. Once approved, the guidelines will mark the most drastic change to Penn’s open expression policies in over three decades. 

The newly proposed guidelines — published in the University Almanac on March 31 — are separated into three sections: the University’s principles on open expression, the implementation of those principles, and specific policies for supporting those measures.

Penn issued a temporary set of guidelines in 2024, following a year of heightened activism and tension on campus — including a 16-day Gaza Solidarity Encampment on College Green.

At the time, Penn announced the formation of a task force to provide recommendations to the Committee on Open Expression, which would then present proposals to the University Council and the President. 

The new principles — “intended to protect a broad scope of speech and to ensure the inclusion of all Penn community members in their protections” — apply to all demonstrations, protests, rallies, and guest speaker events.

Under the temporary guidelines, applications to host events or demonstrations were required to be submitted two weeks in advance. The revised guidelines now considers applications submitted within seven business days.

While the 2024 policies explicitly banned encampments on campus, the proposed guidelines clarify that erecting structures — such as tents or encampments — require “a permit or other permission from the Vice Provost for University Life or authorized University personnel.” 

The revised Committee on Open Expression will be comprised of 13 members, including students, faculty, and staff — compared to the 17-member body outlined under the existing policy. 

Previously designated as a standing Committee of the University Council, the Committee on Open Expression will now jointly report to the Provost and the Faculty Senate Tri-Chairs and review open expression practices “every 10 years, or as needed.”

The Committee's responsibilities, described in the draft as “advisory,” include proposing revisions and interpretations to the guideline's principles and reviewing reports from Penn offices engaged in open expression issues.

In an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian, Faculty Senate Chair Kathleen Brown stated that the “roster” making up the Committee on Open Expression must receive approval from the Senate Executive Committee.

The draft also establishes a new Executive Director of Open Expression, who will serve as a non-voting, ex officio member of the Committee on Open Expression to “support its functions, assemble data and reports.”

The director will report to the Provost and provide a “dotted line report” to the Faculty Senate Tri-Chairs. 

According to the draft, the director will also be tasked with leading the Open Expression Observer Program, which allows faculty, staff, and administrators to serve as “neutral parties who engage with meetings, events, or demonstrations when deemed necessary to support and maintain open expression.”

Observers are assigned to events, demonstrations, and meetings “based on the likelihood of disruption as determined by the EDOE without regard to viewpoint.”

In his University-wide message last week, Jackson wrote that the goal of the updated guidelines is to reflect Penn’s “enduring commitment to open expression while also capturing institutional expectations around clarity and campus safety.”

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