School Spotlight

Grinnell College

Location: Grinnell, Iowa
Type: Private
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Speech Code Rating

Grinnell 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

  • Student Handbook: Campus Life Policies- Hate Crimes and Bias-Motivated Incidents Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Red
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    [A] bias-motivated incident … is an expression of hostility toward, a person, group, or property thereof because of such person’s (or group’s) identifying or perceived race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, p... Read More

  • Sexual Respect at Grinnell College: About Sexual Misconduct

    Speech Code Rating: Red
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    Definitions regarding forms of prohibited behavior, consent and related concepts, and other terms are listed below … Bias-Motivated Incident: an expression of hostility against a person, group, or property thereof because of such person’s (or group’s) identifying or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, n... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Campus Life Policies- Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    Harassment is conduct that has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for others, interfering with the academic performance or co-curricular activity of a student, or the work performance of a faculty or staff member. Read More

  • Grinnell College Policy, Procedures and Guide to Preventing, Reporting, and Responding to Sexual Misconduct and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence: Other Forms of Sexual Misconduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when one of the following conditions is present: … Such conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work... Read More

  • Information Technology Services: Academic Computer Usage

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    Grinnell College supports the free expression and exchange of ideas and opinions and hopes that users of its computer systems will actively explore the possibilities of electronic publication on the World Wide Web. The College encourages students, faculty, and staff to develop and publish WWW pages through its serve... Read More

  • Grinnell College Policy, Procedures and Guide to Preventing, Reporting, and Responding to Sexual Misconduct and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence: Title IX Sexual Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    Title IX Sexual Harassment: The Title IX regulations define Sexual Harassment as 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 ... Read More

  • About Grinnell: Mission and Values

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: May 26, 2021

    When Grinnell College framed its charter in the Iowa Territory of the United States in 1846, it set forth a mission to educate its students “for the different professions and for the honorable discharge of the duties of life.” The College pursues that mission by providing an education in the liberal arts... Read More
At present, FIRE has not been publicly involved in any cases at this school.

  • Due process legal update: Two accused-student lawsuits survive summary judgment

    July 12, 2019

    Barring a settlement, sex discrimination lawsuits against Grinnell College and Quinnipiac University appear to be headed to trial after judges in each case denied the school’s motion for summary judgment on both sex discrimination and breach of contract claims. These decisions demonstrate that schools need to take seriously both their obligation to respond to sexual… Read more

  • Speech Code of the Month: Grinnell College

    March 18, 2016

    FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for March 2016: Grinnell College in Iowa. FIRE recently downgraded Grinnell College to our poorest, “red light” speech code rating for a “bias-motivated incident” policy that makes a great deal of speech punishable at the college. Grinnell defines a bias-motivated incident as an expression of hostility against… Read more