Guidelines on Enhancing Community Safety and Inclusivity for Events and Activities on Campus

How we share our campus space

Preamble

The purpose of these guidelines is to support Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) community members in navigating events and activities on campus by sharing the university’s expectations of appropriate conduct and our collective responsibilities per university policies and collective agreements. Universities are uniquely positioned to serve as forums for the respectful and critical exchange of ideas and perspectives. TMU embraces unequivocally the free exchange of ideas and the ideal of intellectual engagement within a culture of mutual respect. While we do not expect members of our community to always agree, we must respect the rights of others to hold and express opinions that are different from our own so that our campus remains safe and inclusive for all community members. The right to freedom of speech comes with the responsibility to exercise that right in an atmosphere free of intimidation and in an environment that supports the free speech rights of those with opposing views.

Community Standards and Expectations for Events and Activities on Campus

The following expectations apply to all events and activities held on TMU’s campuses. They reflect obligations under university policies and procedures and guide the shared responsibilities of university community members, including organizers, participants and their guests.

Violence, Threats, Risk of Harm 

TMU is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all. Any actions involving physical violence or threats of violence are strictly prohibited and may be subject to review or discipline under applicable university policies and procedures and/or employment contracts and collective agreements. Weapons or any objects that are designed to cause harm are also strictly prohibited.  

Health, Safety, and Access

Activities that pose a risk to the physical health or safety of others, including any actions that may create hazardous conditions or disruption to emergency access or systems and infrastructure, are not permitted. Organizers must plan with the Community Safety and Security team for crowd safety and physical surroundings.

To this end, any activities on campus must allow uninterrupted access to and from buildings, walkways, and roads. Blocking entrances or exits is unacceptable and may disrupt emergency services or university operations. Amplified sound must be used responsibly; excessive noise that disrupts learning, residence life, or university programming is prohibited. Unless reserved and approved in advance, events and activities are not permitted in classrooms, research spaces, athletic facilities, residences, libraries, or administrative offices. Events and activities that involve overnight stays on campus are also not allowed unless reserved and approved in advance. 

University Property

Do not cause damage to university property and spaces. All community members are expected to respect university facilities, infrastructure and public spaces during all activities and events on campus. The following are not permitted:

• Damaging, defacing, or modifying TMU property, signage, or surfaces (including graffiti or tampering with fixtures).
• Littering or creating garbage.
• Unauthorized use of furniture, equipment, or supplies in ways that cause deterioration or prevent regular university operations.
• Unauthorized alterations, and property modification. 
• Ceremonial or symbolic fires must be approved through ExploreTMU to ensure safety, while bonfires, torches, cooking fires, and similar flame sources are prohibited. 
• Combustible materials like propane, gasoline, or diesel fuel are not allowed on campus, unless authorized. 

Discrimination and Harassment 

TMU promotes and protects human rights through the university’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy (DHP), which prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of one or more of the protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including but not limited to creed, disability, race, sexual orientation, etc. The DHP covers all university community members, including students, faculty, staff, contractors, volunteers and guests, and applies to all events and activities that occur on the TMU campus.

The DHP’s values and guiding principles include a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as freedom of expression and academic freedom, while recognizing a responsibility on all university community members to respect the rights of others to learning, working and living environments free of discrimination and harassment. Where university community members are engaging in events and activities on campus, they are required to abide by the DHP and refrain from comments or conduct that represent discrimination, harassment or the creation of a poisoned environment as defined in the policy. 

TMU’s Sexual Violence Policy (SVP) also prohibits university community members from engaging in sexual violence and harassment. It similarly covers all university community members, including students, faculty, staff, contractors, volunteers and guests, and applies to all events and activities that occur on the TMU campus. 

Intimidation, Harassment, or Targeting

TMU does not condone any form of intimidation or harassment—physical, verbal, or digital. Physical and verbal intimidation or harassment; or impeding others’ basic rights, including free expression, freedom to assemble, and human rights are prohibited. This includes targeting individuals at their homes, cars, offices, at meetings of university governance, or elsewhere.

Respectful Conduct

TMU’s Student Code of Non-academic Conduct and Respectful Workplace Policy are also policies that apply to university community members and which outline the expectation that people treat each other in a respectful manner, including during university events and activities on campus. 

Events and Space Reservations

To allow the university to assess, monitor and grant authorization for events and spaces, members of the university are required to follow TMU’s Bookable Space Policy and process to ensure the safety of all community members: Event & Space Reservations and Explore TMU. 

To support the safe and successful coordination of events on campus, we encourage all community members and event organizers to plan early and follow TMU’s event booking process. Event organizers are required to provide ongoing and accurate information to the university about their activities and planned events and must report changes to the circumstances of an event to Community Safety and Security in a timely manner. Failure to do so may result in an event being postponed or cancelled.

Community members and event organizers are reminded that they are responsible for the conduct of any guests they invite to campus. TMU expects all invited participants to respect the values and policies of the university, understanding that all speakers, event attendees, and guests on campus are subject to TMU’s policies, as referred to in these guidelines. TMU reserves the right to take appropriate steps when events or actions contravene university policies or pose an undue risk to community safety, including but not limited to cancellation of the event and removal of persons from the premises. 

Event organizers and participants are expected to follow instructions from TMU Community Safety and Security representatives, university officials, and, if applicable, external authorities such as first responders. Organizers must maintain open communication with the university and respond promptly to reasonable requests for information (e.g., confirmation of community member status). 

TMU recognizes that some events and activities may not have been processed through the booking system but can still occur on campus if they are acts of civic engagement and democratic expression, such as demonstrations or protests. This is permitted in support of the right to peaceful assembly and free expression and we are committed to ensuring that demonstrations and protests can occur safely and respectfully while preserving the campus community's rights, safety, and well-being. All of the standards outlined in relation to campus events and activities apply to all TMU community members and their guests when participating in demonstrations and protests on campus.