Pass by the bell tower in the Quadrangle. Take a quick look up at the pole upon its crenelation. See the flag flitting in the wind. Then walk down a little further, see the three flags on the poles at the end of Eastern Avenue. Take a stroll down there too, look at the banners flying. See the many flags of this campus. Play spot the flag. You’ll be surprised at just how many there are. Who gets to decide what flies? Can I turn up here with any flag I want and throw it on any building? You have more input than you might think!
The answer to these questions is, as it so often is, contained within university policy in some vague lists and checklists. In this circumstance, it is the helpfully named University of Sydney (USyd) Flag Policy 2025, a document of 11 pages, spare and sparse and spaced a little like poetry, which dictates the who, what, when, where, why and hows of flag-flying on campus. Let’s begin with a look at the Quadrangle bell tower flagpole policy, which dictates the flag flying at the centre point of so many tourist photographs.
You may have noticed it often flies a USyd flag, but every now and then there’s another one on there. Maybe it’s the Pride flag, maybe the purple white and green flag for International Women’s Day as it was recently, maybe it’s the flag of another country, maybe it’s at half-mast. See what it says in the policy and behold one of the very rare parts of actual university policy where students have some (admittedly minuscule) level of input. We may request a flag to be flown here! That is as long as it reflects the university’s very real and well-upheld commitment to respect, inclusion and diversity (honoured so very well recently…) Or if it is relevant to community events and special occasions.
So, start sending in flag proposals! Just pop it into the inbox of our dear vice chancellor, as is outlined via the policy. It would be a great shame if there was an inundation of flag proposals for every conceivable event and holiday finding its way into his inbox. Then if approved, our daring Yeoman Bedell will go fly the thing. They’re a group of people who help with the maintenance of the quad.
And what of just random flags? Can I carry any old flag onto campus? Is there a size limit? Can I bring the biggest flag ever made onto the Quad Lawns and walk around with it?
Yes! The Flag Policy states that “it may be appropriate for flags to be displayed on University lands for a short time without prior approval”. You may actually bring whatever flag you want onto campus and carry it around outside as long as it’s not offensive or inappropriate, doesn’t damage the uni, risk safety, block lights or “contravene any university policies”. It also mustn’t be flown in a way to seem as though the uni supports it, so no putting it on buildings! But there is nothing much stopping one from turning up at uni and walking around with really whatever 30-foot flag you like, apart from sheer determination and maybe an awkward bus ride.
Given the university’s regular open hostility to dissent, I’m not sure how this would work out in practice. The university’s policy on flags that are offensive or inappropriate gives them an inordinate amount of power over what flies, and their ambiguous definition of these criteria gives them an enormous amount of wiggle room to prevent any flag-related action that they disagree with. The university’s much-lampooned Campus Access Policy also has serious implications for this. While the Flag Policy is theoretically a separate policy, the in-person management of and responses to campus activities from USyd itself is not so clear. Like all policies concerning student activities, it presents a picture of openness, community and ‘vibrant student life’, while working to effectively stifle that which it claims to uphold, through vagaries and obscurant language.
