Oct. 25, 2024

Dear URI Community Members,

Earlier this month, the University invited community feedback on proposed regulations regarding the use of University property. We are encouraged by the robust faculty, staff, and student engagement in the community comment process. To invite additional community feedback, we have extended the deadline for comment to Nov. 15, 2024.

The University of Rhode Island supports the rights of its students, faculty, and staff to exercise their freedom of expression, and the University champions the respectful exchange of competing ideas. The proposed regulations do not restrict protected speech, and they are not directed to any group or individual. They would apply equally to all users of University property, including all members of the University community and third parties who wish to use any University property for any purpose.

The proposed regulations are designed to foster a safe and inclusive campus environment for everyone—an environment that respects and protects the individual rights of community members; to ensure the continuity of our teaching, research, and community engagement missions, and our business functions; and to protect the integrity, cleanliness, and functionality of University property for the benefit of all.

Regulations regarding the use of University property do not currently exist at the University. This absence inhibits our ability to deliver on our mission and uphold our shared foundational values. Additionally, Rhode Island law stipulates that the University’s Board of Trustees “shall make rules and regulations for the control and use of all public properties and highways under its care.” This is why the provisions are being proposed in the form of Board of Trustees regulations.

We encourage members of the University community to review the proposed regulations, and we continue to invite comments through the Nov. 15, 2024, deadline. Revisions to the proposed regulations will be informed by community comments and through collaboration with the Faculty Senate and the Student Senate.

Your engagement helps to advance our shared goal of cultivating a sense of community where all students, faculty, and staff find themselves included and their work valued.