School Spotlight
Davidson College
Speech Code Rating
Student Handbook: Policy, Procedures, and Information on Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Abuse and Violence, and Stalking- Prohibited conduct as defined by Davidson College
Speech Code Rating: Red
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 16, 2020“Sexual Harassment” is defined as conduct that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with a person’s work or educational opportunity; and … conduct is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment or otherwise ... Read MoreStudent Life: Diversity and Inclusion- Bias Education and Response
Speech Code Rating: Red
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: September 16, 2020A bias incident is also an offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by the offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or gender identity BUT may not rise to the level of a crime. Bias incidents include hostile environments and harassing beh... Read MoreStudent Handbook: The Code of Responsibility- Social Responsibility
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: September 16, 2020Students are expected to develop social skills and relations which are mutually beneficial and which lead to personal maturity. Social conduct is therefore to be based upon concern for others. For example, students have the obligation to avoid any action which might impair the well-being or reputation of guests. Res... Read MoreStudent Handbook: The Code of Responsibility- Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 16, 2020Harassment is unwanted behavior that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a person’s or a group of persons’ educational, work, social or living activities. As such, it violates this Code and, in some cases, federal or state law. Harassment can take many forms. Types of harassment... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Policy, Procedures, and Information on Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Abuse and Violence, and Stalking- Prohibited conduct as defined by Title IX of the Education Amendments Act
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 16, 2020Sexual harassment means conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following: … Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the College’s Education Programs or Activities. Read MoreAbout Davidson: Statement of Purpose
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: September 16, 2020Davidson prepares many of its students for graduate and professional study, it intends to teach all students to think clearly, to make relevant and valid judgments, to discriminate among values, and to communicate freely with others in the realm of ideas. Read More
March 2019 Speech Code of the Month: Davidson College
March 4, 2019
At Davidson College, students are told they can be punished for hosting a theme party with stereotypical costumes, however that may be subjectively determined. Because of the broad scope of this policy and its potential to have a chilling effect on expression, Davidson College’s Bias Education and Response policy is our Speech Code of the… Read more
REPORT: North Carolina is home to some of America’s best colleges for free speech
September 24, 2018
Eight colleges in North Carolina earn FIRE’s highest rating for free speech — more than in any other state — but 17 still maintain policies that substantially restrict student expression. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24, 2018 — A new report finds that North Carolina’s colleges and universities lead the way nationally for protecting student free speech. The… Read more
Davidson Student Told to Remove Rainbow Flag from Window Per Unwritten Policy
December 19, 2013
In Davidson College student newspaper The Davidsonian, student Max Feinstein recounts how, earlier this fall, he was asked by a college administrator to remove a rainbow flag hanging from his dorm room window, citing a new college policy. After some questions, Feinstein discovered that the policy was unwritten: When I asked about this new policy, I… Read more
Speech Code of the Month: Davidson College
March 1, 2006
FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for March 2006: Davidson College. Attention, theater majors at Davidson: you’d better think twice before putting on a production of Guys and Dolls or Funny Girl. That’s because Davidson’s Sexual Harassment Policy prohibits the use of “patronizing remarks” such as “referring to an adult as ‘girl,’ ‘boy,’… Read more
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