By Nasai Rivas
A new resolution in opposition to the California State University Time, Place and Manner policy is in the works, according to Associated Students Inc. Executive Vice President Matt Melendrez.
“I think [the policy is] limiting a students’ right to free speech on our campuses,” Melendrez said.
The updated Time, Place and Manner policy bans masks while protesting, limits demonstrations and restricts the use of posters and other printed material on all 23 campuses in the CSU system. Long Beach State’s campus-specific addendum policy, further restricts the time for demonstrations.
The Chancellor’s Office sent out the notice of change in the policy in a system-wide email on Aug. 19. Almost a month later on Sept. 5, the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to the university stating the updated policy is “unconstitutional.”
The university response team, which implements and enforces CSULB’s TPM addendum policy, is made up of 13 administrators. There are no ASI student representatives or faculty members on the team.
Melendrez spoke about the upcoming resolution during the ASI Senate meeting on Oct. 23. It was pointed out that the policy’s broad and vague language is misleading and can cause different interpretations amongst students.
Nicholas Nieto, the chief legislative officer of ASI’s Lobby Corps, said students discuss their concerns with the updated TPM policy when Lobby Corps representatives table weekly Tuesday and Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tabling for Lobby Corp allows ASI to gather concerns and feedback from students and inform them of policy changes.
“I feel like every student has a right to know the rules that are being made about them, that regulate the stuff that they are allowed to do and what they’re not allowed to do,” Nieto said.
According to Nieto, some students do not even know what the policy is, and those that do have a hard time reading it.
“It is pages and pages and pages long. I try, even me, it’s my job to have to read through that, and even I got bored reading it,” Nieto said.
Melendrez believes the ban on masks should be removed and the broad language in the policy should be more specified for students.
He also said the hours students are allowed to make noise during demonstrations should be extended from the current hours.
According to the CSULB’s addendum, sound amplification is allowed in certain locations such as the University Student Union’s Southwest Terrace, South Plaza and pool area.
“Sound amplification is permitted at the USU locations…from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday; from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday,” according to the policy.
Other locations where the amplification is allowed are the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Speakers’ Platform, Central Plant Plaza, Central Quad and Outpost Lawn.
Melendrez looked at the creation of the updated policy as being rushed with zero student feedback.
“I believe it’s right…to stand up against these broad and speedy policies that were created,” Melendrez said.
He said ASI will be gathering feedback from students and campus organizations in the coming months to get a better idea of what parts of the policy need addressing.
ASI will also educate students on the policy so they can get a better understanding of its details and specifics.
“[It’s] really just getting feedback from students, making sure that students are involved in this process, and making sure that whatever we push out…[the] resolution, [it’s] a complete reflection on what the students at Cal State Long Beach believe in,” Melendrez said.
A vote on the resolution is targeted for the end of the semester. However, ASI’s resolution are non-binding, and if passed the university is not required to take action. ASI resolutions serve to express the voices of the student body they represent.
Melendrez added the CSU should take pride in its history of student demonstrations and progress.
“Instead of creating policies that strike to limit our student voices, I think there should be more policies to protect our student voices,” Melendrez said.
He said demonstrations are a call to action on campus and important to students.
“There’s a lot of things that are happening across our country and the world that our students want to speak up about,” Melendrez said. “[It’s] because we are the future of this country. You’ve seen the waves of protests across this country, it’s because the youth and students are just not being felt like they’re heard.”
