Events process policy

1. Background to the procedures

1.1 The University has a duty to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’. In undertaking this duty, it must ensure that it assesses risks arising from external speakers attending University events or giving guest lectures. The procedures below are designed to ensure that such risks are assessed and considered and where appropriate mitigated.

1.2 In addition to the above duty, the University also has an obligation to protect academic freedom and free speech. It has developed a detailed Code of Practice on Free Speech and event organisers should ensure that they are familiar with this code. The code sets out what considerations will be made when it is considered that an external speaker presents a risk to staff, student and/or members of the public.

2. Scope of this procedure

2.1 Events¹: This procedure applies to all events, including online events such as webinars and live events on social media, that are held by the University. This may be an ad hoc talk or lecture held by a School or a University sponsored event. It should include lecture series where these are not part of scheduled classes. All these events must be submitted to the Events Team for approval.

¹ Events could be a lecture, a seminar, a fundraising event, a dinner, a University Open Day – the definition is wide to ensure that all University sponsored activity is considered.

2.2 Guest lecturers: all scheduled lectures where there is a guest speaker must go through the procedure for approving the speaker as outlined below.

2.3 Off campus events: the procedures for off-campus events are also outlined below.

3. Approval and due diligence on external speakers (including guest lecturers)

3.1 All external speakers must be approved by the Head of School/Central Service Department (CSD) or the Head of Enterprise for external events. This includes guest lecturers who are coming in to talk as part of the curriculum.

3.2 Before approval, a check of the speaker must be undertaken through Google or other relevant sources to assess any potential risks in relation to the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech and also the Prevent Duty and the form attached at Appendix A must be completed. The first three pages of results (if any results are found) of the Google search should be reviewed or other information where available reviewed. Where they belong to an organisation, the website of the organisation must be checked also and a Google search and checking of other relevant information for the organisation.

3.3 Records of this search and any subsequent risk assessment must be maintained with the approval for the speaker.

3.4 In undertaking the risk assessment, particular attention must be paid to the nature of any religious or political affiliations. Consideration should also be given to whether speakers have extreme views on sexuality, gender, race as well as religion and politics.

3.5 Where there is any content that is inappropriate or which might be interpreted as being in conflict with the University’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech, this should be referred to the Head of School/CSD in the first instance for consideration.

3.6 Where a potential risk is identified, the Head of School/CSD will refer this to the University Secretary who will convene the Prevent Group2 to discuss the matter. Where it is agreed that an event may proceed, the organisers will be required to agree any mitigation that is put in place as outlined in the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech (see Section 8 for further details).

4. Organising an event

4.1 The procedure for organising an event is set out below. More detailed guidance is provided by the Events Team.

4.2 Event organisers must provide the following information through the online form.

• a) Event owner
• b) Date and time of event
• c) Whether the event is taking place online or in person
• d) If your event is taking place online, please details of how you intend to deliver this event online
• e) If your event is taking place in person, please provide details of where this is taking place
• f) Name of Head of School or VCE who has approved this event
• g) What online tool will your event be hold on? (please provide links to the event or how to register).
• h) Names of any speakers and any external speakers and the organisation to which they belong if applicable together with any information on affiliations
• i) Expected number of attendees
• j) Confirmation of whether the event will be a member only, invitation only event or open to the general public
• k) Confirmation if the event and speaker are likely to attract media interest – if so why?
• l) Draft publicity for the event
• m) Indication that the organiser understands and accepts the University Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech.
• n) Indication that the organiser understands and accepts the University Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech.

²The Prevent Group comprises the University Secretary, the Senior PVC, the PVC (ASE), the Director of IT, the Director of Property Services, the SU President and the Chief Executive of the SU.

4.3 Once the above information is submitted, it will be checked by the Events Team as appropriate and entered into the Events Calendar. The Events Team will undertake checks for key issues relating to equality and diversity or of a political nature. Where any issues are identified which might be considered to be a risk or against the University Code of Practice, these should be referred to the Head of Marketing who will consult with the University Secretary as appropriate.

5. Events held off-campus

5.1 The same procedure must be applied to any events organised off-campus which may be seen as a University event. These events should also be submitted to the Events Team.

6. Making an ad hoc room booking

6.1 Before submitting an online event request for an event held on campus, staff may make a provisional room booking through the Timetabling Team. Any such bookings will be held for a week. The Timetabling Team will not, however, be able to confirm the booking until the above procedure has been followed and the event approved.

7. Student and Students’ Union events

7.1 The Students’ Union operates a separate procedure for the approval of events which has been agreed with the University. Students may only book rooms for events which have been through this process.

8 Procedure for events booked by external organisations

8.1 A modified version of the procedure for University organised events will be used as follows:

8.2 An external individual or organisation who wish to book a room must provide the following information

• a) Name of person booking the room. For externals this should include the name of person/ company the enquiry comes from, phone number and email/business address and website.
• b) Date and time of event
• c) How the event will be delivered and its purpose
• d) Names of any speakers and any external speakers’ affiliations (specifically where they are political or religious)
• e) Expected number of attendees
• f) Confirmation of whether the event will be a member only, invitation only event or open to the general public
• g) Confirmation if the event and speaker are likely to attract media interest – if so why?
• h) Draft publicity for the event

8.3 On receipt of the form, an external organisation’s website should be reviewed to ensure that it does not contain any inappropriate content. A Google search should also be undertaken and the first three pages of results (if any results are found) should be reviewed.

8.4 Where there is to be an external speaker the above process should also be followed for the external speaker.

8.5 Where there is any content that may be considered inappropriate or which might be interpreted as being in conflict with the University’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech, this should be referred to the Head of Research and Enterprise Operations in the first instance.

8.6 The Head of Research and Enterprise Operations will review the content of the website and also any information about external speakers against the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech and undertake a risk assessment. Where there is any risk that the Code will be breached or that there might be any disorder or other issue with the booking, this should be referred to the University Secretary who will discuss with the Prevent Group.

8.7 It will be made clear in the terms and conditions for bookings that any failure to disclose full event and/or speaker details may result in an event/booking being cancelled.

8.8 The terms and conditions of bookings will also make it clear that the University must be informed of any changes to an event and that these will need to be considered by the process outlined above.

9. Issues referred to the Prevent Group

9.1 Any issues referred to the University Secretary will be discussed with the Prevent Group. They will conduct an investigation into the speaker and the event that takes into consideration the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech, the need to maintain order within the University and also the Prevent duty. It will undertake a review of the due diligence undertaken and may review other relevant sources of information where appropriate.

9.2 In making recommendations they will assess risk on the following basis:

• The potential for any decision to limit freedom of speech as per the university’s code of practice in pursuance of the 1986 Education Act
• The potential for the event going ahead to cause the union to be in breach of its equality and diversity policy
• The potential for the event going ahead to cause the University to fail in its wider legal duties
• The potential for the event going ahead to cause reputational risk to the University
• The potential for the speaker’s presence on campus to cause fear or alarm to members of the University
• The potential for the speaker’s presence on campus to give rise to breach of peace
• The potential for the event to breach the Prevent duty.

9.3 The Group may make one of the following recommendations:

• On the basis of the risks presented to not permit the go ahead
• On the basis of the risks presented to fully permit the event to go ahead unrestricted
• On the basis of the risks presented to permit the event to go ahead on the basis of regulatory steps designed to reduce risk.

9.4 Steps designed to reduce risk may include requiring that:

• the event be filmed
• the event be observed by University officials
• additional security and/or that the event be stewarded or subject to security on the door
• an event promoting a particular view includes an opportunity to debate or challenge that view
• the event is ticketed and that the attendees are approved in advance
• a copy of any speech to be delivered by the speaker be submitted to the University.