UCLA kicks off school year with new rules in place

As UCLA kicks off its first day of classes for the fall semester, there are new rules in place.

In a BruinPost to students , Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael Beck and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Monroe Gorden Jr. revealed the updated “Time, Place and Manner” policies. This includes a “new definition of ‘grounds generally open to the public’” and areas being used for ‘public expression.’

One example of the new regulations includes UCLA closing off areas, including “Areas for Public Expression,” between midnight and 6 a.m. Exceptions include those who are going to and from buildings, those who are crossing the campus, and those who are taking part in university functions.

This comes after pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held on the UCLA campus during the late 2024 spring semester. On May 2, more than 200 protestors were arrested as police dismantled the encampments on campus.  More demonstrations continued after that.

Then-UCLA Chancellor Gene Block came under fire for his handling of the protests. Block testified before a House committee in Washington D.C. regarding the handling of the protests. He retired in July.

KNX News’ Jon Baird spoke with students on campus if they think things will be calmer this year.

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“With everything that happened before, I think they will definitely take precautions to avoid anything getting really out of control,” one student said.

“ I think things have kind of cooled down a bit,” another student said. “We'll find out soon enough.”

A staff member told Baird he’s not sure what to expect this year.

“I feel like at the most, there will definitely be more protesting and more voices heard from the student body,” he said.

In an interview with the Daily Bruin , UCLA’s student-run newspaper, Interim Chancellor Darnell Hunt said he does expect the first anniversary of Oct. 7 to be a “very solemn occasion,” but that he will be expecting protests as well.

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