USC’s Network of Informational and Support Resources During Times of Conflict

In times of national and international conflict, we receive questions from students and others about resources available from the university. We have consolidated a number of informational and support resources. Please note: we always assess situations in real-time, and we enhance these resources whenever necessary and wherever needed.

Safety: Whenever needed, we add security personnel. They always are on standby to help and are able to respond quickly. Anyone who is concerned about their safety should contact the Department of Public Safety or visit the Safety at USC website.

Academic Accommodations: We make academic accommodations available to students at all times, and we double down on these efforts during catastrophic and highly disruptive times. Students seeking these accommodations should reach out to their instructors and/or Campus Support & Intervention to develop a plan for them. Faculty are expected to be as flexible as possible during these challenging times.

Mental Health and Wellness: One of the first things we always do is expand our support for mental health and wellness. Students, faculty, and staff needing assistance should immediately contact Campus Support & Intervention (there are 24-hour hotlines), the WorkWell Center (for staff), or the Ombuds Office. This is one of our top priorities.

Harassment and Discrimination: We want students, faculty, and staff to report any harassment or discrimination. The place to do that is the Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX. Please refer to the university’s notice of non-discrimination for more information.

Federal actions to address antisemitism and Islamophobia on university campuses: On October 30, the federal government announced new actions to address antisemitism on college campuses. The White House, Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plan to issue formal guidelines. Here is what we know:

• The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) will be updating its discrimination complaint form to include language stating that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits antisemitism and Islamophobia, and will expedite investigations and complaints. The DOE is also planning to hold technical assistance webinars to provide students with information on how to file an OCR complaint.
• The DOJ and DHS are dedicating 125 protective security advisers and 100 cybersecurity advisers to proactively work with schools and universities to address their needs for cyber threats and online harassment. The Justice Department’s Community Relations Service is also expanding support of Jewish, Muslim, Arab, and other impacted communities on campuses across the nation.
• The United States Senate passed a bipartisan resolution by unanimous consent denouncing antisemitism at institutions of higher education and encourages college and university leaders and administrators to voice their opposition to antisemitism on campus.

Free Speech Resources: Especially in times of conflict, we receive many questions regarding the university’s free speech policies, rights, and processes. For information about free speech on our campuses, please review USC’s free speech policy and watch the following video presentations.

• Office of Culture, Ethics and Compliance Free Speech and Academic Freedom Overview (February 14, 2023): https://vimeo.com/798932847
• Office of Culture, Ethics and Compliance Free Speech and Academic Freedom Conversation (February 28, 2023): https://vimeo.com/803260733
• Office of Culture, Ethics and Compliance Free Speech and Academic Freedom Faculty Panel (October 19, 2023): https://vimeo.com/876608168

Leonard Law Unique to California Private Universities: Many people who are new to our campuses or California may be unaware of the Leonard Law, which holds private universities – such as USC – to the same strict standards as public universities when it comes to students’ freedom of speech. As a result, the university may not discipline a student for engaging in speech or other communications protected by the First Amendment. This may extend to banners, chants, slogans, symbols, and other speech that many members of our community find offensive.

Social Media Postings and Non-USC Websites: We know that people are bombarded by social media and websites that look like they are official USC sites and policies. Please don’t be misled. No one – including students, faculty, staff, non-university affiliated individuals, or other third-party organizations – speaks on behalf of the university or its leadership. USC cannot monitor the vast world of social media and internet postings, nor does the university have the authority to influence what is said in non-university social media posts or on non-USC websites. Any messages communicated on those unaffiliated sites do not have the endorsement of the university. Postings that are reported for hate, violence, or threats are directed to the Los Angeles Police Department, which has the authority and greater capacity to determine if they fall outside the boundaries of protected speech, and when so, to investigate them.

Posting Flyers: The university has a policy about posting flyers. It is on page 117 of the USC Student Handbook.

All postings or flyers – regardless of their content – are prohibited in, and will be removed from, the following areas including trees and hedges, buildings (including glass windows, doors, walls, and columns), elevators, Tommy Trojan and all other statues, trash and recycling cans, all lamp posts, fences, utility poles parking lots and structures, fountains (including drinking fountains), on cars, bicycles, or other individual property, and freestanding advertisements such as signs on stands, sandwich boards and other displays. Please note: USC has neither the authority nor the jurisdiction to prevent or promote flyers off of our immediate campuses.

Student Commitment and Unifying Values: In 2022, our students helped create the Student Commitment. This is the commitment that is shared with all students when they become USC Trojans – essentially, to act with integrity in the pursuit of excellence; to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion; to promote the well-being of ourselves and others; to engage in open communication; and to be accountable for living our Unifying Values and helping to make USC the best place it can be.

You can visit the following pages to learn more about the Student Commitment and our Unifying Values.

Group Gatherings or Events: We receive many questions regarding group gatherings and events. Information about demonstrations, counter-protesting, and heckler’s veto is found in Student Life’s webpage on student activism.

As stated in the Student Handbook, “Students and student organizations shall be free to examine and discuss all questions of interest to them and to express opinion publicly and privately. They shall be free to support causes by all orderly means, which do not disrupt or substantially interfere with the regular and essential operations and activities of the university since such disruption or substantial interference violates the responsible exercise of free inquiry and expression. Students and organizations shall make it clear to the academic and larger communities that in their public expression they speak only for themselves.”

It is important to note that no student or student group represents or speaks on behalf of the university or its leadership.

Faculty and Departmental Statements: Our Faculty Handbook affirms both the right of faculty to speak on controversial topics, as well as the obligation to clarify that they are stating their personal views and not speaking on behalf of the university, a school, or an academic department.

As stated in the Introduction to the 2022 Faculty Handbook: “Faculty members of the University have the same rights and responsibilities of free speech, thought, and action as all American citizens.” An important element of the academic freedom faculty enjoy is the right to speak their mind on topics of their choosing. That freedom comes with the responsibility to make clear that faculty are speaking in their individual capacity and not on behalf of the university, a school, or academic department. USC’s policy does not allow use of the of the university’s logos, graphics, or websites to express political positions.   As stated in the Faculty Handbook, faculty members must be clear that they are not institutional representatives (3-G), avoid any conduct that would appear to commit the University to an endorsement of a political position (3-H(5)), and be mindful when they speak or write as citizens to indicate that they are not speaking for the University, given that the public may judge the University by their statements (3-B(1)(a)).

All of these principles apply to groups of faculty as well as individuals, who should be clear that they are speaking for themselves and not speaking for the University or a department or school.

Additional resources and links will be posted here when there is new information to disseminate.