Guidelines Regarding Media Access

As a public institution, John Jay College of Criminal Justice adheres to principles of the First Amendment, including freedom of speech and the press. The College encourages media interest in and coverage of the College’s mission, events, faculty and students. These guidelines are designed to promote media access, including coverage of events and issues, at the same time that they ensure that, like all guests, representatives of the media are subject to reasonable safety, entrance and exit procedures.

The Office of Marketing and Communications (“Office”) will respond to media inquiries pertaining to College news, events, policies and administrative matters. General inquiries should be directed to the Office, which will respond to requests, including for interviews, photography and videography. Event organizers desiring media coverage should also contact the Office. Faculty, staff, and students who receive media inquiries may proceed on their own but are encouraged to let the Office know about their media interactions so that it can keep track of and promote media attention received by the College.

The College encourages faculty members to respond to media inquiries that pertain to matters within their knowledge and expertise. When media representatives visit faculty on campus, the faculty member will be responsible for the media guest. Public Safety will notify the faculty member when the media representative arrives on campus. The faculty host is responsible for escorting the media visitors to the interview location, which might include the faculty member’s office as well as other locations determined by the faculty member and the media representative to be suitable for the interview.  The media representative may visit classrooms where classes are being held only for the purpose of contributing to the educational purpose of the class, as determined by the course professor. The media representative may not record the class unless enrolled students provide prior written consent. Once the visit is concluded, the faculty host is responsible for escorting the visitor to the exit.  

Staff members are encouraged to notify the Office about media requests and media visits to campus, and must take responsibility for the media representative while he or she is on campus. Staff members who invite media representatives to campus are expected to follow the same procedures applicable to faculty.  

The College is committed to promoting and telling student stories. The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) will work with the Office to assist students with media interviews and preparation. If a member of the media contacts a student directly with inquiries for College-related information or comments as a John Jay student, the student is encouraged to contact CSIL.  If a student is meeting with a member of the media on campus, the student is expected to follow the same procedures applicable to faculty and staff.  

Media representatives are subject to the same entry and safety requirements as any other person or organization seeking access to the campus. Accordingly, representatives will be required to show appropriate identification at College entrances. Public Safety will notify the person who is identified by the media seeking access, or notify the Office in instances of general inquiry, before permitting access, at which time the media representative will be signed in and accompanied by the campus host.  

Unescorted news media are not permitted onto the campus and are not permitted to have access to classrooms, laboratories, offices and residence halls without prior permission from the Office.

Should extraordinary circumstances warrant, Public Safety may secure certain areas and restrict access, including for news media.