Breadcrumb
University Educational Programming
With free speech and the 2024 presidential elections in the national conversation, Cal Poly Humboldt launched several educational initiatives in Fall 2024 that enhance the understanding of California State University’s interim Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) policy, Cal Poly Humboldt’s addendum to the policy, and the campus climate; support free speech activities and voter engagement; and align with the University’s educational goals. These programs and activities are supported by one-time funding from the CSU during the 2024-25 year.
Some programs are tailored for certain campus groups; others provide insight applicable to the campus community and the public. All activities are designed to create spaces where you can ask questions, understand policy, and provide feedback.
For more information about the TPM policy, free speech, and more, go to humboldt.edu/free-speech. The programming falls into several categories:
TPM Policy-specific Activities
Broad community access to TPM policy discussions that will build on Student Rights & Responsibilities sessions during August 2024 Welcome Week and a TPM policy session for faculty and staff during Fall 2024 Professional Development Day.
TPM Lunch & Learn—for faculty and staff Completed
Because of the significant interest in the August TPM session included in campus Professional Development Day for faculty and staff, Cal Poly Humboldt sponsored a presentation of the policy information that included a Q&A session. (Sept. 19)
TPM Session—for Associated Students (AS) Completed
Cal Poly Humboldt leadership met with the AS Board in September to provide an overview of the TPM policy and free speech guidelines on campus, and to also discuss co-sponsorship of the student-focused Caffeine & Conversation event. (Sept. 20)
TPM Caffeine & Conversation—for students Completed
A student-focused overview of the TPM policy and free speech guidelines on campus. Included a Q&A session. (Oct. 3)
Free Speech and Demonstrations Guide—for students Completed
Cal Poly Humboldt has updated a long-standing student resource guide to align with the CSUpolicy. The guide will be printed and distributed at various student activities.
Free Speech Takeaway Card Completed
A small-format handout for TPM policy/Free Speech campus sessions with a QR code that links to relevant information online.
TPM Stakeholder Sessions—for key stakeholders Completed
Sessions led by University leadership and offered to key stakeholder groups, such as the University Senate (session held in September). Any divisional leadership teams, student organizations, and college chairs meetings, and other groups interested in arranging a session are welcome to contact Chrissy Holliday, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, at chrissy.holliday@humboldt.edu. Sessions will include a Q&A. (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025)
Community Engagement Team (CET) and broad campus de-escalation training Ongoing
This training provides de-escalation, empathy, and engagement skills to members of the FSSRT and other interested members of the campus community, as space allows.
After consultation with campus stakeholders, instead of launching the CET as originally planned, the Free Speech Support & Resource Team (FSSRT) was expanded to include advisory members with additional representation from faculty and staff. Training intended for CET will be provided to FSSRT instead.
Civil Discourse/Collegiality
Activities that support the University’s long-standing history of activism through respectful dialogue, mutual understanding, and constructive communication.
Know Your Rights/Civility Day—for students Completed
The Know Your Rights activities started at orientation will be expanded to include student-focused overviews of civil discourse, community standards, and a commitment to civility. Students began word mapping activities that focus on how a community can listed and respect different opinions. Participants in the add-on to our Late Night Breakfast civility activities received completion gifts. Eventually, a pledge developed by students, and activities in partnership with College of the Redwoods are envisioned (Dec. 16)
Fostering Collegial Conversations: Speaker Series—for faculty and staff Completed
Planned by the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the Center for Teaching & Learning, this speaker series continues conversations from the Fall 2024 Professional Development Day. Conversations revolve around campus healing through trauma-informed and restorative justice frameworks of civility. (Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5)
Spring Professional Development Day 2025—for faculty and staff
The Center for Teaching & Learning will lead an event intended to revisit common values and techniques for promoting respectful and constructive dialogue among colleagues. The event will work to rediscover each other as colleagues and re-envision a campus community that leads in times of challenge and change.
- NOTE: The focus of Spring Professional Development Day was changed, and the funds intended for this effort will be redirected to other efforts within this plan. This topic may get incorporated into future Professional Development Day presentations.
Psychological First Aid During Crisis—for campus community
This training, provided by the Green Cross, focuses on empathy, relating in a healthy way, and self-regulation during high-stress situations and crises. Dates TBD.
Elections/Voter Engagement
Opportunities to educate not only our campus community through watch parties for the presidential and vice presidential debates, but also local community members as the campus returns as a polling site this November.
Presidential Debate—for students Completed
A watch party for the presidential election debate with a discussion on political topics, as well as voter registration. ( Sept. 10)
National Voter Registration Day—for students Completed
Cal Poly Humboldt giveaway for each student who registered on site, updated registration, or showed registration confirmation. (Sept. 17)
VP Presidential Debate—for students Completed
A watch party for the vice presidential election debate with a discussion on political topics, as well as voter registration. The Humboldt County Elections Commissioner also explained how local and mail-in voting functions. (Oct. 1)
Trivia Night! It’s a Political Party!—for students Completed
A competitive trivia night that was themed around voting and elections. (Oct. 3)
Effective Organizing
Effective Organizing Engagement—for students Ongoing
Faculty and staff are planning efforts to engage students in conversations around effective organizing, including a wide spectrum of methods for achieving desired change and utilizing freedom of expression to draw attention to issues that our students care most about. Anyone interested in organizing a training or activity related to this concept should contact Vice President Holliday at chrissy.holliday@humboldt.edu to discuss funding availability.
General Communication/Education Supports
Video Content Platform—for students Completed
Implementation of GoodCourse, a video platform for educational content for our students and created by college students. Its use will be managed by Strategic Student Communications and the Dean of Students Office, with initial pilot use for topics including free speech, TPM policy, collegiality, and elections. Content topics will be expanded to other student-focused content, such as mental health, belonging, and more. The first short course, focused on TPM, launched Oct. 4. Other topics released in the fall included Civil Discourse and Community Engagement, and the platform will continue to support communication and resource sharing for students.
Know Your Rights—for students Ongoing
In addition to the New Student Orientation Know Your Rights sessions to help students understand free speech and freedom of expression rights, as well as their responsibilities as students, other sessions evolve throughout the student lifecycle with expanded learning opportunities. Explore potential for an opportunity where students can freely ask law enforcement questions about topics they feel are relevant, such as free speech, protesting, the legal system, campus tools and resources for reporting crimes. Dates TBD.
Expanded Campus Impact
Expanded Campus Impact—for campus community Ongoing
Students, faculty, and staff will be invited to submit proposals for small grants for educational initiatives that will expand the impact of our free speech and constructive dialogue efforts and allow for a more inclusive approach to these campus educational efforts. At least $10,000 will be made available for these ideas, and a Call for Proposals was released in November 2024 and will continue until all funds are expended—the application is available here.
Tie-ins with Other Planned Campus Events
Additional programming focused on meaningful, constructive dialogue will be incorporated into long-standing programs and transformative campus events related to new students and social justice.
Orientation Presentation—for students Ongoing
In addition to incorporating Student Rights and Responsibilities and an understanding of TPM into new student orientation (Fall 2024 onward), expand fall orientation programming to include a focus on understanding civil discourse and undertaking difficult conversations (Fall 2025).
The Campus & Community Dialogue on Race—for campus and local community Completed
Open to the public, CCDOR is an annual event for programs on racial justice and its intersections with all forms of oppression and resistance. Programs will create spaces and structures for reflection, analysis, dialogue, and positive strategies for change. (Oct. 21-25, 2024)
Social Justice Summit—for campus and local community Completed
The annual Social Justice Summit seeks to question and redefine societal narratives. It's dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of people of color, queer, disabled, and other intersectional communities, creating a safe and empathetic space for meaningful dialogue. (Spring 2025)