Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Yellow light colleges and universities are those institutions with at least one ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application. Read more here.

Public or Private: Public
Federal Circuit: Fourth Circuit
Head of Institution: President Charles W Steger
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Office of the President
210 Burruss Hall
Blacksburg
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-6231
steger@vt.edu
Website: http://www.vt.edu/

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Do you have any information, updates, or changes regarding the policies at this institution? Let us know!

On this page, FIRE has excerpted policies that address speech and expression. You may download the full policy in .pdf form, below.

Restrictions on Expressive Rights

Harassment Policies (Learn More)

Hokie Handbook: University Policies for Student Life- Sexual Harassment 09-10

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when ... 3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or academic environment (e.g., a pattern of conduct that causes discomfort or humiliation, or both, such as sexually explicit statements, questions, jokes, anecdotes, visual materials, or literature).
View full policy (PDF, 42 KB).

Policies Restricting Freedom of Conscience (Learn More)

Virginia Tech Principles of Community 09-10

[W]e adopt and practice the following principles as fundamental to our on-going efforts to increase access and inclusion and to create a community that nurtures learning and growth for all of its members: ... We reject all forms of prejudice and discrimination, including those based on age, color, disability, gender, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, and veteran status. We take individual and collective responsibility for helping to eliminate bias and discrimination and for increasing our own understanding of these issues through education, training, and interaction with others.
View full policy (PDF, 385 KB).

Posting Policies

University Policies for Student Life: Advertising on Campus 09-10

The advertisement, publicity, sign, banner, flyer, or literature must be in good taste and appropriate for its intended purpose.
View full policy (PDF, 64 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Acceptable Use and Administration of Computer and Communication Systems 09-10

For use and administration to be acceptable, it must demonstrate respect of: ... individuals' rights to be free of intimidation, harassment, and unwarranted annoyance.
View full policy (PDF, 58 KB).

Policies on Bias and Hate Speech

SafeWatch Frequently Asked Questions 09-10

Is the reporting system only for acts of violence?

No, the reporting system is for any incidents of prejudice and discrimination regarding age, color, disability, gender, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, and veteran status as outlined in the Virginia Tech Principles of Community or any incidents that negatively impact the Virginia Tech community. ... [O]ne of the primary goals of SafeWatch is to promote involvement of the university and larger communities in dialogs and collaborative activities that foster a positive, supportive environment for all groups.
View full policy (PDF, 36 KB).

SafeWatch 09-10

SAFEWATCH is established to: ... Initiate timely action in response to online reports by facilitating communication to appropriate departments.
Incidents that create a hostile, unsafe, unwelcome, or insecure environment should be reported to SafeWatch.
To further support a diverse and inclusive campus community, Virginia Tech has launched "SafeWatch"-- a new university program that promotes individual and collective responsibility among students, faculty, staff and guests to incorporate the Virginia Tech Principles of Community into interpersonal and inter-group relationships.
View full policy (PDF, 35 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Hokie Handbook: University Policies for Student Life- Demonstrations and Picketing 09-10

As an academic community, Virginia Tech values the rights of free expression and peaceable assembly and does not intend to restrict the exercise of these rights.
View full policy (PDF, 78 KB).

NOTE: You must have Adobe Acrobat installed to view policies in PDF format.

The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in August 2009. According to FIRE’s research the substantive policies are current at least until this date. Directory information, including the name of the president of the college or university, may have been updated more recently. If any policy has been revised, or if you believe that we are in error, please contact us.