A new policy encourages Kent State students to fill out a major event form to reserve a space on the student green beginning this fall.

Kent State’s Board of Trustees updated the policies for Risman Plaza and the student green. Student organizations, protesters and others hosting events need to get approval to use student green and Risman Plaza.

“We want students to take advantage of the space, but we have to be very sensitive in regards to the academic buildings surrounding the green,” said Shay Little, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs.

The Student Green, located in front of the campus, was constructed in 2012 to add further beauty to campus and to support the needs of students.

Little said the policy is to clean up language and control noise on campus to avoid classroom interruptions.

“In the Trustees meeting, we basically took the old policy that involved Risman Plaza and added the student green,” said Ann Day, Student Center Building Manager.

The old policy permitted amplified noise and encouraged students to fill out an event form for events hosted on Risman Plaza and Manchester Field. Even with the policy changes, students are encouraged to use the student green freely.

“In the policy, Risman Plaza and student green are made to be free speech locations,” Day said.

Brian Cannon, Executive Director of Undergraduate Student Government, said the policy shouldn’t surprise people because it’s been a sort of an unspoken courtesy rule.

“This policy isn’t new to me, it has always been like this,” Cannon said.

Day said she’d prefer if students submitted the usage requests a week in advance. The major event form is located in the student center. Students should complete the form to request an area on the student green.

 Contact Catherine Wilcher at [email protected]