Harvard University: Student Organizations Prohibited from Co-Sponsoring Events and Collaborating with Non-Harvard and Unrecognized Organizations

On March 25, 2024, FIRE wrote Harvard University urging it to eliminate or revise its  policy that prohibits recognized student organizations from co-sponsoring events “with non-Harvard organizations or individuals” or “on-campus events with external or unrecognized organizations,” and from “collaborat[ing] with unrecognized social organizations (final clubs, fraternities, sororities) on campus.” We explained that the policy contradicts Harvard’s commitment to free expression, which encompasses the right to associate, burdens more associational freedoms than necessary to achieve any proffered interest, and is impermissibly vague in failing to define “co-sponsor” or “collaborate,” leaving students without guidance on the precise activities prohibited.