Flag Policy

Macalester College was among the first colleges in the nation and the first in Minnesota to fly the flag of the United Nations. The U.N. flag, along with the U.S. flag, continues to be displayed as a symbol of Macalester's commitment to international understanding.
Macalester has established the following policy for the display of flags:

1. The main campus flag pole is located in the plaza south of the Chapel and is reserved solely for displaying the United States and United Nations flags.

2. The U.S. flag will be lowered to half staff at the direction of the President of the United States or the Governor of the State of Minnesota. Further, the U.S. flag will be lowered to half staff at the direction of the Macalester President's office, for the death of current members of the faculty, staff, student body, Board of Trustees, or a close friend of the college or a former member of the faculty, staff or Board of Trustees.

Given that many international members of the college community are interested in displaying on campus the flags of their home countries, the college has also established a policy for flying flags other than those of the U.S. and U.N.:

1. The flags of countries that are recognized by the U.N. (i.e., those countries that are listed by the U.N. as member states, non-member states with permanent observer status, or national "entities" with permanent observer missions) will be displayed on the flagpoles at the west entrance of Carnegie Hall. Determination of the flags to be displayed will be made by the Dean of International Studies and Programming.
2. The flags of countries that are recognized by the U.N. (as defined above) may be displayed at campus events to recognize and represent international students studying at the college. The Provost is the alternate authority on flags at formal college events.
3. Flags representing groups, cultures, or nations not specified above, may be displayed at a designated place. Determination of the location and the flags to be displayed will be made by the Dean of Students.

Inquiries about the Flag Policy should be directed to the Office of the Provost.      (Amended March 2002)