Student Rights and Code of Conduct: Bias Incidents

Relevant Excerpt

The University defines a “bias complaint” as “any report of a threat or act of harassment or intimidation – verbal, written or physical – which is personally directed against or targets a Plymouth State University community member because of that student’s age, color, disability, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status or family medical or genetic information.”

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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 personal threats or acts of misconduct, which violate criminal law or University policy.