Georgia Tech and the University System of Georgia are committed to protecting First Amendment rights while safeguarding the daily operations of education, research, and other campus activities. As such, Georgia Tech has a Public Forum Area on campus, the Small Amphitheater, where both the internal community as well as the general public may schedule events to promote free speech, free expression, free exercise of religion, and the right to assemble peaceably. Reservations are required for internal and external groups to use the Public Forum Area. The Office of Capital Planning and Space Management (CPSM) manages these reservation requests.

“It is important to have visibility of which groups or individuals will be hosting events on campus; the Public Forum Area is no exception,” said Deborah L. Greene, campus use and film specialist, CPSM. “This transparency helps us prepare for these events and mitigate campus disruption.”

The Public Forum Area may be reserved by Georgia Tech community members through a request using the campus scheduling system, GT Events.

Members of the general public (external to the Tech community) must submit their reservation request through the Public Forum Request Form no less than three business days prior to the date for which the reservation is being requested. This will provide CPSM sufficient time and information to determine whether the Public Forum Area is available for the desired date and time, and to perform the initial required due diligence with campus security, risk management, campus safety, and other logistics officials.

Both the Georgia Tech community and general public may be asked to provide further requirements. In addition, there may be follow-up discussions between campus officials and the requester depending on the scope of the activities, equipment, and materials being brought to campus. Campus officials will work in good faith to complete these discussions as quickly as possible so that the desired date and time requested can be met.

If another group has previously reserved the space, or there are other events and activities that have previously been scheduled that could prevent the approval of the requested date and time, CPSM will work with the requester to identify the next possible available date and time to reserve the Public Forum Area or another location on campus — whichever is most feasible for campus.

Georgia Tech community members may view confirmed reservations for the Public Forum Area at any time.

Georgia Tech’s Campus Space Use Procedures document contains more information on the non-commercial use  of campus space. Questions may be submitted via email to events@cpsm.gatech.edu.