Code of Practice for Speakers and Public Meetings

Emmanuel College is strongly committed to the principle of freedom of speech and expression. This Code of Practice explains how external events* (at which controversial views may be expressed) and visiting speakers will be managed.

• The Bursar is responsible for all the rooms and meeting places of the College. The Bursar is responsible for ensuring that rooms and meeting places in College are used appropriately. Particular terms and conditions relating to the use of a room or meeting place, which may include terms and conditions relating to any particular meeting or activity, may be specified when a booking is made.
• No external event can take place in a room or meeting place without prior approval by the Bursar (or by the Tutorial Office Administrator or the Conference Manager, on behalf of the Bursar). Such decisions are made in the light of information provided by the organiser of an external event (who must be a specific person, acting on their own behalf or on behalf of an organisation responsible for the external event).
• Requests to book College rooms for meeting or events should be made via the Conference department.
• Requests to book rooms for events or meetings must normally be made by the event organiser at least one week in advance. A meeting or event must not be publicised before approval has been granted. The College reserves the right to refuse outright any requests for the use of a room or meeting place if such a request is made less than a week before the proposed event.
• There are conditions which apply to all room bookings for external events, including:
  • The College reserves the right to seek additional information before confirming a booking.
  • The external event organiser (i.e. the named person making the booking) agrees as a condition of submitting the room booking request to notify the College if any of the details submitted change.
  • The College reserves the right to review its decision on allowing an external event to proceed if any of the information provided changes.
  • The deliberate provision of false or incomplete information by the external event organiser may be considered a disciplinary matter, if appropriate, or may otherwise invalidate the booking.
• The following details must be provided when making the initial room booking:
  • name and contact details of the external event organiser;
  • title of the proposed external event;
  • names and contact details of formal presenters or speakers
    at the external event, if any;
  • details of any external organisation represented or
    publicised at the external event;
  • brief description of proposed talks and/or activities;
  • dates and times of the proposed external event;
  • projected number of attendees, including:
    • the number of student members of the College;
    • the number of other members of the College;
    • the number of other members of the University; and
    • the number of people external to the College and the University.
• The Bursar will use this information to assess the likelihood of a range of risks: this will include the assessment of risks specifically relating to the protection of freedom of speech and the Colleges responsibility in preventing crime (including preventing the promotion of illegal discrimination or terrorism).
• Activities likely to be considered inappropriate to be conducted on College premises include:
  • internal or external speakers giving talks which directly or indirectly promote violence towards members of the College or the general public, or which may advance the radicalisation of College members;
  • internal or external speakers whose presence or activity, in the view of the College, carries a reasonable likelihood of risk to the health or safety of its members or of the general public;
  • physical activities where there has not been due regard for the safety of participants and onlookers; and/or
  • activities where the College has been advised by the police that they represent a high risk at the specified time or location proposed.
• If a request to book a room for an event or meeting is refused, you may make an appeal against the decision to the Senior Tutor. The appeal decision will be the final decision of the College.