• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

  Displaying Flags

  Posted by David Leon Alvarado on May 31, 2024 at 3:48 pm

  Hey everyone, I have a question about flag displaying procedures. Does anyone have specific criteria on which flags they allow to be displayed? We have a procedure that allows unrecognized countries flags by the U.S. (e.g., Kurdistan, Palestine, and Tibet) to be displayed if a student feels represented by them. They can also present their case on why the flag should be displayed and then that said flag is voted on by the Union board if it will be displayed or not. However, our legal counsel has recommended that we should set certain criteria on how people vote if that flag can be displayed. Does anyone have a criteria for how they display flags in their union or come across a similar issue?

  Here is our current procedure, and it can stay the same; however, the voting on it needs criteria.

  “The University of Utah’s Student Union displays flags in the ballroom corridor, which represent countries from which the University of Utah has student representation. The following form is for submitting requests to display a country’s flag.

  Once we receive a request, we work with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) office to confirm we have student representation from the requested country and that we are displaying the correct flag.

  If ISSS cannot confirm that the requested flag represents a recognized country by the United States, then the Union Board will vote on the decision to display the flag. The student requesting the flag will have the option to submit to the Union Board reasoning why the flag should be displayed before making a decision.

  The student can present their case via in-person, recording, and/or writing. Once the Union Board has had time to hear the reasoning and discuss the implications, they will vote on displaying the flag in the following board meeting.

  The student submitting the request can attend the Union Board to submit their case if they would like, but they will not be present when the vote is made. If the student requesting the flag is also a voting member of the Union Board, they will be excused during the vote. This process can take up to 8 weeks from the requested date.“

  ——————————
  David Leon Alvarado
  Graduate Assistant
  University of Utah
  Salt Lake City UT
  (801) 585-9709
  ——————————

  David Leon Alvarado replied 2 years, 3 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
• 0 Replies

Log In to Reply