School Spotlight
Framingham State University
Speech Code Rating
Ram Student Handbook: FSU Policy Against Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment and Retaliation
Speech Code Rating: Red
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 13, 2020Examples of discriminatory harassment, all of which are prohibited by this Policy, include, but are not limited to: Physically harassing another individual or group because of that person’s or persons’ membership in a protected class by assaulting, touching, patting, pinching, grabbing, staring, leering at them, ma... Read MoreRam Student Handbook: Sexual Violence Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 13, 2020Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature is prohibited when: … such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s academic or professional performance or creating a sexually intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, educational, or living environment. Examples of sexual ... Read MoreRam Student Handbook: Student Code of Conduct Regulations
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 13, 2020Intimidation, invasion of privacy, verbal abuse, or any conduct constituting harassment, abuse or threats to the well-being of a person or group, including, but not limited to, communication via electronic means. Read MoreRam Student Handbook: Bias Incident Protocol
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: January 13, 2020A hate or bias incident occurs when behaviors (verbal or non-verbal) by an individual or group are perceived to be malicious (hate) or discriminatory (bias) toward another individual or group based on actual or perceived characteristics such as race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, age, disabili... Read MoreAcceptable Use Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: January 13, 2020University policy and local, state and federal law do prohibit some forms of communication, including: … anonymous or repeated messages designed to annoy, abuse or torment. Read MoreRam Student Handbook: Freedom of Expression & Assembly Rights
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 13, 2020Framingham State University supports the constitutional right of free speech and assembly. Conduct that is protected by the First Amendment is not actionable under law, or the Framingham State University Student Code of Conduct. Read MoreRam Student Handbook: Freedom of Expression & Assembly Rights
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: January 13, 2020All students, have a right to demonstrate on University premises provided, however, that no such demonstration shall be permissible, which for any reason of time, place, or type of behavior, materially disrupts class work or other University business, or involves substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of oth... Read MoreRam Student Handbook: Student Conduct Code- Introduction
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 13, 2020Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of the whole student, and the betterment of society. Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of these goals. Read More
Framingham State U. Police to Student: Facebooking About Halloween Costume ‘Goes Beyond … Freedom of Speech’
November 21, 2014
According to Framingham State University’s (FSU’s) student newspaper The Gatepost, campus police officers questioned several FSU students over their public comments about two of their peers’ Halloween costumes depicting domestic violence. Gatepost editors aptly pointed out that such questioning is not acceptable at FSU, a public university in Massachusetts bound by the First Amendment. FSU… Read more
Speech Code of the Month: Framingham State University
May 2, 2012
FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for May 2012: Framingham State University. This public university has a student policy on “Freedom of Expression” which provides that Recognized student clubs or organizations desiring to sponsor a religious display must consider the following: such displays may not promote or hinder one religion over another, must… Read more
Censorship Doesn’t Pay
May 11, 2007
Some students at Framingham State College are finding out the hard way that newspaper theft and censorship don’t pay off in the end. According to The Boston Globe, seven students attended a lacrosse match with letters of a friend’s name painted across their midriffs to show support for him. A student reporter saw these women… Read more
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