Davidson College
Location: Davidson, North Carolina
Website: http://www.davidson.edu
Type: Private
Federal Circuit: 4th Circuit
Speech Code Rating
Davidson 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.
Red Light Policies
Student Handbook: Policy, Procedures, and Information on Sexual Misconduct, Relationship Abuse and Violence, and Stalking
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: August 28, 2018“Sexual Harassment” is defined as conduct that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with a person’s work or educational opportunity; creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment; or otherwise negatively affects a person’s work or educational opportunities. Sexual harassment denies an individual dignity and respect and may take on different forms. It includes, but is not limited to:
- Unwelcome verbal, written, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of that individual’s gender or gender identity (or that of an individual’s relatives, friends, or associates);
- Unwelcome threats, derogatory comments, jokes, innuendos, insults, slurs, epithets, negative stereotyping, and other similar conduct that relates to gender or gender identity; or
- The placement, dissemination, or circulation on campus of any unwelcome written or graphic material (in hard copy or electronic form) that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of gender or gender identity.
Sexual harassment may further include unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature where: … The conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.
Student Life: Diversity and Inclusion- Difference Between a Hate Crime and a Bias Incident
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: August 28, 2018A 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 behavior that is severe, persistent or pervasive to the point that it threatens an individual or limits the ability of the individual to work, study, or participate in College life. Bias incidents committed by students are considered violations of the student code of responsibility (Section V). Bias incidents committed by staff on staff may violate the College’s anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies and will be handled by Human Resources.
EXAMPLES OF BIAS INCIDENTS
- Racial and Ethnic Stereotype Theme Parties – Student organizations and Greek letter organizations that host theme parties or Halloween parties that encourage people to wear costumes and act out in ways that reinforce stereotypes create a campus climate that is hostile to racial and ethnic minority groups.
- Bias in the Classroom – Professors who make pejorative comments or stereotypes about a protected class of people, i.e. females, religious minorities, racial minority groups, or people with disabilities are also guilty of commiting [sic] a bias incident. Because of the power dynamics that exist between students and professors, students may be reluctant about confronting the professor about the offense fearing that it may negatively affect their grade in the class.
Student Handbook: The Code of Responsibility- Social Responsibility
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: August 28, 2018Students 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 and must conform to high standards of courtesy and propriety.
Student Handbook: The Code of Responsibility- Harassment
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: August 28, 2018Harassment 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. Harassment can take many forms. Types of harassment include:
- Peer harassment involves persistent, intentional degradation, intimidation, or abuse of another person.
- Quid pro quo harassment involves abuse of one’s power, authority, or position such that,
- a. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s education or employment; or
- b. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for academic or employment decisions affecting the individual’s welfare.
- Hostile environment harassment involves conduct that substantially interferes with an individual’s educational, work, social, or living environment.
- Discriminatory harassment involves conduct of an offensive, demeaning, intimidating or hostile nature based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, orientation, age or disability.
About Davidson
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: August 28, 2018We nurture these values in a community founded on trust as articulated by the Honor Code and on free, unfettered inquiry.
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Today’s College Campuses: Political Correctness Gone Too Far? (Rebroadcast)
November 6, 2015
By Charlotte Talks Staff at WFAE 90.7 Something is happening on college campuses across the country. There seems to be an increased sensitivity to issues that some view as painful or offensive. It has caused some comedians who used to consider college audiences their bread and butter to stop playing the college circuit. Worse, it is beginning to intrude on what’s being taught. We hear more about “The Coddling of the American Mind.” Guests Greg Lukianoff – constitutional lawyer and president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and co-author of the article “The Coddling of the […]
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How about telepathy?
March 12, 2006
The Case for Zero Tolerance of Modern School Administrators (cont’d): The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (www.the fire.org) reports that the Sexual Harassment Policy at Davidson College in North Carolina prohibits “inquiries about dating.”
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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 Tar Heel State is home to eight of only 42 institutions nationwide that earn the highest, “green light” speech code rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Do North Carolina Students Have Freedom of Speech?, released by FIRE and the James G. Martin […]
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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 requested to see it in writing. I was surprised to learn it does not exist in any RLO guidelines; nonetheless, it is apparently something I should follow unquestioningly. However, the Director of Residence Life ensures it will next year. Additionally, Davidson has no precedence for […]
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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,’ ‘hunk,’ ‘doll,’ ‘honey,’” or “sweetie.” I also hope that Davidson students are prepared for four years of romantic solitude, since that same policy prohibits “comments or inquiries about dating.” Good luck finding a date without making a comment or inquiry about dating. Also prohibited, among […]
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