As educational institutions, The Claremont Colleges seek to further their mission of education, the free and open exchange of ideas and beliefs, research and public service and to minimize activities that disrupt or are inconsistent with that mission. This policy requires advance permission for, and in some cases, limits or does not allow, tape recording, photographing, and videotaping and/or otherwise recording unless the student has an approved accommodation with Student Accessibility Services.

Advance Permission Required

Any individual or organization wanting to engage in recording, photography or video-taping for personal use, broadcast or public dissemination of any type needs advance permission.

All requests should go initially to the department, institute, office, club or organization identified as the sponsor or host. Contact information is typically contained in public announcements and on posters promoting the event. In the event an interested party is unable to contact the sponsoring party, he or she should contact the host college or TCCS’s public relations office for assistance. In determining whether permission should be granted, the sponsoring party will review and abide by terms specified in any contract with the speaker(s), performer(s), etc. The sponsoring party may consult with the host institution’s director of public relations, academic or student dean, president, or other appropriate officials.

Criteria and Limits

Generally, recording, photography or videotaping which is carried out by the college and is intended for educational or public affairs use will be permitted (subject to legal, logistical and security concerns detailed below). Recording, photographing or videotaping is permitted at graduation and graduation events ABSENT restrictions to the contrary.

Similarly, recording, photography or videotaping which is carried out by a commercial or entertainment entity designed primarily for entertainment or commercial use, will not be permitted absent appropriate consent from all necessary parties and payment of any required fees.

In reviewing any request for photography or videotaping, the following will be considered:

  • Provisions, if any, pertaining to recording, photography, and/or videotaping in any contract or agreement for engagement.
  • Whether the purpose of the photography, recording, or videotaping furthers the institution’s educational mission, as explained above.
  • The level of potential disruption to students, staff and faculty.
  • The level of potential chilling effect on freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas and beliefs of attendees or participants
  • Have all the participants (including students or audience members) been notified of and given permission to the videotaping?
  • Are alternative seats available for any audience member who does not wish to be videotaped?
  • Have copyright permissions been granted from all potential copyright holders?

Individual Faculty and Students

Individual faculty members with questions should contact the KGI Senior Director of Marketing and Communications. This is not intended to limit current practice of permitting a school to videotape or record educational activities for their own non-commercial use, nor of limiting the Public Relations Office or individual faculty members from permitting limited, non-disruptive videotaping or photography for educational or institutional purposes (such as an interview with a news program or videos and photography for use in college communication) in their offices or other college space.

This protocol was drafted and adopted by The Claremont Colleges in April 2009.