School Spotlight
East Tennessee State University
Speech Code Rating
East Tennessee State University Policy on Use of Campus Property and Facilities
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020The University has designated Public Speaking Areas that may be used as a space for meetings, rallies, protests, and demonstrations. For safety reasons, the period in which these areas are available is between dawn to dusk but no greater than 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. Non-Affiliated Persons must reserve spaces f... Read MoreEast Tennessee State University Policy on Use of Campus Property and Facilities: Bulletin Boards
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020The University generally requires prior approval for the use of any bulletin boards on campus. Read MoreETSU Policy on Discrimination and Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020Harassment Conduct based on a protected class that adversely affects a term or condition of a person’s employment or education program or activity; has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a person’s employment or education program or activity or creating a hostile environment; or is used as a basi... Read MoreETSU Title IX: Definitions- Cyber-Stalking
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020Cyber-stalking: A particular form of stalking in which electronic media such as the internet, social networks, blogs, cell phones, texts, or other similar devices or forms of contact are used to pursue, harass, or to make unwelcome contact with another person in an unsolicited fashion. Some examples of cyber-stalkin... Read MoreETSU Title IX: Definitions- Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020Harassment is conduct that is based on a person’s race, color, religion, creed, ethic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age (as applicable), status as a covered veteran, genetic information, or any other category protected by federal or state civil rights law,... Read MoreETSU Title IX: Definitions- Sexual Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when one of the following criteria is met: submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly as a term or condition of the individual’s employment or of the individual’s status ... Read MoreETSU Emergency Title IX Rule
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020Sexual harassment: conduct because of sex that satisfies one (1) 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 ETSU’s education program or activity; Read MoreCatalog: Policies and Procedures- Disciplinary Offenses
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 1, 2020Conduct Dangerous to Self or Others. Causing physical harm to any person (including oneself); endangering the health or safety of any person (including oneself); engaging in conduct that causes a reasonable person to fear harm to his/her health or safety; or making an oral or written statement that an objectively re... Read More
East Tennessee State University: Basketball Players Denounced for Kneeling During National Anthem
February 24, 2021
In February 2021, state lawmakers and members of the public called for action after members of the East Tennessee State University men’s basketball team knelt during the national anthem prior to a game. FIRE, the National Coalition Against Censorship, and PEN America wrote letters to ETSU and Randy Boyd, the president of the University of… Read more
FIRE, NCAC, and PEN America: Tennessee public universities must respect their student-athletes’ First Amendment rights
February 24, 2021
Last week, an image of the East Tennessee State University men’s basketball team taking a knee during the Star-Spangled Banner provoked an outcry from state legislators. Demands for action reached a crescendo on Monday, when all 27 Republican state senators called on public universities in Tennessee to ban the practice. Today, FIRE, the National Coalition… Read more
Student Arrested By East Tennessee State University Police for ‘Civil Rights Intimidation’
October 3, 2016
Last week, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) freshman Tristan Rettke was arrested by campus police and charged with a felony under Tennessee’s Civil Rights Intimidation statute after confronting peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters in the ETSU free speech area. Rettke’s act—dressing in a gorilla mask and attempting to hand bananas to the protesters in an… Read more
Tennessee Bill to Punish UT for Sex Week Becomes Law
May 23, 2016
For several years, the Tennessee legislature has threatened to take action against the University of Tennessee (UT) for allowing students to conduct an annual “Sex Week” on campus. Now the state legislature has followed through on its misguided threat by passing HB 2248, which states: State funds shall not be expended by the University of… Read more
ETSU, Brute?
June 8, 2012
Okay, it’s a terrible Shakespearean pun. But as bad a pun as this blog post’s title is, it’s still nowhere near as disappointing as the state of free speech at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). The basic story is that as part of a "civility week," the Student Government Association created T-shirts with various… Read more
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