Carleton College

Location: Northfield, Minnesota
Website: http://www.carleton.edu
Type: Private
Federal Circuit: 8th Circuit

Tell Carleton College to revise its speech policies by filling out this form.

Speech Code Rating

Carleton College has been given the speech code rating Red. A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more here.

At present, FIRE has not been involved in any cases at this school.

Red Light Policies

  • Student Handbook: Policy Against Sexual Misconduct- Sexually Inappropriate Conduct

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    Carleton College prohibits all forms of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, stalking, intimate partner violence, and other sexually inappropriate conduct.

    …

    Sexually inappropriate conduct includes unwelcome sexual conduct that may not rise to the level of sexual harassment. Conduct that may be considered sexually inappropriate may be isolated behavior not sufficiently serious to be sexual harass­ment under this policy.

    Sexually inappropriate conduct may include, but is not limited to, crude, obscene, or sexually offensive gestures or behavior, or unwelcome sexual comments or communication. For purposes of this definition, communication may be oral, written, or electronically transmitted.

    » Read More

  • Information Technology Services: Academic User Agreement

    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    No other user may deny, diminish or disrupt your access through any means, including: … distributing material which is demeaning or discriminatory via any electronic mail, bulletin board or other computer network facility … using resources for commercial or political purposes.

    » Read More

Yellow Light Policies

  • Student Handbook: Community Standards Policy

    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    All discourse, as well as treatment of individuals–in offices, classrooms, residences, or any other setting or mode of communication–should be respectful of the individual, whether or not there is disagreement on matters of substance, taste, politics, or evidence. Creating and sustaining a climate of civility in an institution of voluntary membership is the responsibility of each individual.

    …

    While the nature of an academic community is to provide a milieu for the expression, criticism and discussion of the widest range of opinions, it does not provide license for bigotry in the form of demeaning, discriminatory speech or actions. Thus, the presentation of a reasoned or evidenced claim about a societal group that offends members of that group is to be distinguished from a gratuitous denigrating claim about, or addressed to, an individual or group. The former is bona fide academic behavior while the latter may demean, degrade or victimize in a discriminatory manner and, if so, undermines the above principles.

    …

    While the College imposes no specific moral standard or creed on its students, each student is responsible for living up to the values cited above and the policies, rules, and regulations detailed below. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

    …

    The following conduct is prohibited: … Physical, verbal or psychological abuse, harassment, intimidation or other conduct (whether willful or negligent) that threatens or endangers the health, well being, or safety of oneself or of any person on College-owned or leased property, or at College-sponsored or supervised functions.

    » Read More

  • Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response: What is sexual harassment?

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    What can sexual harassment look like?

    • sharing sexually inappropriate images or videos, such as pornography
    • sending suggestive letters, notes, or e-mails
    • displaying inappropriate sexual images or posters in public spaces
    • telling lewd jokes, or sharing sexual anecdotes
    • making inappropriate sexual gestures
    • staring in a sexually suggestive or offensive manner
    • whistling
    • catcalling
    • making sexual comments about appearance, clothing, or body parts
    • pinching, patting, or rubbing
    • purposefully brushing up against another person
    • other inappropriate touching
    • asking sexual questions, such as questions about someone’s sexual history or their sexual orientation
    • making offensive comments about someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity

    » Read More

Green Light Policies

  • Student Handbook: Freedom of Expression

    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    Support of any cause by demonstration or other orderly means, including picketing and other forms of peaceful protest, is permitted on College premises so long as it does not disrupt the operation of the College, jeopardize its legal status, interfere with entrances to and exits from College facilities, interrupt classes, interfere with other normal day-to-day activities of the College, or cause damage to property.

    » Read More

  • Student Handbook: President’s and Dean’s Statement on Academic Freedom

    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    The President and the Dean consider the protection of the right of individuals to express their views freely and without risk of repercussions to be among our most important responsibilities.

    » Read More

  • Student Handbook: Policy Against Sexual Misconduct- Sexual Harassment

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: January 9, 2019

    Sexual harassment is unwelcome verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature or based on someone’s gender or gender expression that is:

    1. severe or pervasive, and
    2. objectively offensive, and
    3. creates a hostile educational or work environment.

    The conduct must be unwelcome to the recipient, and a reasonable person in the recipient’s position must also perceive the conduct as constituting sexual harassment.

    » Read More

At present, FIRE does not maintain information on this school's policies.

  • Speech Code of the Month: Carleton College

    July 11, 2018

    FIRE announces our Speech Code of the Month for July 2018: Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. Carleton is private, and thus not legally bound by the First Amendment, but college policy states that “[t]he President and the Dean consider the protection of the right of individuals to express their views freely and without risk of repercussions to be among our most important responsibilities.” You would expect, then, that Carleton’s policies would protect “the right of individuals to express their views freely and without risk of repercussions” … but you would be wrong. Rather, Carleton maintains a range of policies that […]

    » Read More