In the process of updating the University of Mississippi’s policy directory, the use of sidewalk chalk has been limited on campus.
The 2008-09 “M Book” limits the use of sidewalk chalk, sidewalk art or other sidewalk chalk to displaying only messages in support of university-sponsored events and activities.
Assistant dean of students Scott Wallace said the university felt it had problems with this form of advertisement when students began writing on buildings and steps rather than just sidewalks.
University attorney Lee Tyner and the dean of students Sparky Reardon decided to do away with chalk writing unless it were for a university-sponsored affair, such as events for the Student Programming Board or orientation, Wallace said.
“The decision to regulate sidewalk chalk was made for the beauty of the campus,” Wallace said. “We couldn’t enlist every spot you could use, so to keep people from misusing it, we just did away with it.”
Wallace said this has been a university concern for some time, and after the conclusion of the spring semester, they thought it may be best to set grounds for chalk displays.
“The issue is not with free speech,” Wallace said.
With the use of fliers, posters, banners, e-mail and other methods of communication, the university does not believe student organizations will suffer from losing this mode of advertisement.
Organizations may be charged judicially for breaking this policy; more than likely they will be asked to clean it up, and if they do not comply, pay to have it cleaned, he said.
Pharmacy student and chaplain for Sigma Phi Lambda Madalyn Ivy said even though Phi Lambda has used sidewalk chalk in the past she thinks the new policy will help to keep the campus clean; “however, it is a sad loss for advertisement and visual reminders for our many organizations,” Ivy said.
Copies of the university’s “M Book” can be found at the dean of students office.
