Behavior to anyone in our community that might be single or multiple acts toward an individual, group, or their property that are so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that they create an unreasonably intimidating, hostile, or offensive work, learning, or program environment, and that one could reasonably conclude are based upon actual or perceived age, race, color, creed, religion, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status, spirituality, cultural, socio-economic
status, or any combination of these or other related factors.
Acts may be considered bias even when presented as a joke, prank, or delivered with humorous intent. Examples include, but are not limited to: slurs, epithets, name calling, use of degrading language, graffiti, harassment, or coercion directed at a targeted person or group. This includes verbal, electronic (text, Facebook, etc.) and written forms of communication.
Although the expression of an idea or point of view may be offensive or inflammatory to some, it is not necessarily a violation of law or university policy. The university values and embraces the ideals of freedom of inquiry, freedom of thought, and freedom of expression, all of which must be vitally sustained in a community of scholars. While these freedoms protect controversial ideas and differing views, and sometimes even offensive and hurtful words, they do not protect acts of misconduct that violate criminal law or university policy.
Residence halls are considered a non-public forum related to the First Amendment. The department mission is to build safe, inclusive environments. If the actions in question are incompatible with this mission, Residence Life reserves the right to limit those actions (The First Amendment on Campus, Bird, Mackin, & Schuster, 2006).
Any such action will result in Residence Life response and may result in police or Dean of Students response. In addition, actions deemed biased in nature will be referred to the University Bias Incident Team for review.
[07/25/18 updated and approved by the Chancellor and the Executive Team]