School Spotlight

Haverford College

Location: Haverford, Pennsylvania
Type: Private
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Speech Code Rating

Haverford College has been given the speech code rating Yellow. Yellow light colleges and universities are those institutions with at least one ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application. Read more

  • Sexual Misconduct: Definitions and Policies

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 7, 2020

    Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct that is sexual in nature. Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … Such conduct is sufficiently severe, pervasive and objectively offensive as to have th... Read More

  • Haverford College Honor Code

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: May 7, 2020

    [W]e recognize that acts of discrimination and harassment, including, but not limited to, acts of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, ableism, tokenism, cultural insensitivity, discrimination based on citizenship status, discrimination based on religion, and discrimination based on national origin, ac... Read More

  • Expressive Freedom and Responsibility

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: May 7, 2020

    Haverford College has consistently and actively affirmed all students’ rights to free inquiry, assembly, and expression in the broad context of its educational mission. These rights include the right to expression of dissent through peaceful protest. The Haverford College Faculty Handbook (Section III, Subsection C)... Read More

  • Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: May 7, 2020

    Use of College IT Resources in any of the following manners is expressly prohibited and constitutes a violation of this policy. … Unlawful communications, including threats of violence, child pornography, and harassing communications. … Sending anonymous, forged, threatening, or harassing communication.... Read More

  • Haverford College: Amendments to Social Honor Code Restrict Student Expression

    June 30, 2021

    On May 3, 2021, Haverford’s student body passed a resolution amending the Social Honor Code to impose new restrictions on speech, including “political beliefs” that “perpetuate discrimination.” The resolution then proceeded to the administration for review. FIRE wrote to Haverford on May 7, calling on the administration to reject the proposed amendments and to revise… Read more

  • July 2021 Speech Code of the Month: Haverford College

    July 1, 2021

    At Haverford College, a recent amendment to the school’s Social Honor Code means students could be subject to punishment if other students determine they’ve committed an “act of … microaggression.” The amendment also states that students must be respectful of “community standards” when expressing “political opinions,” and that “political beliefs [that] perpetuate discrimination,” or that… Read more

  • Preventing the Tyranny of the Minority: Disinvitation and Dissenting Opinions

    August 5, 2015

    Haverford College, the prestigious and bucolic liberal arts school located in the Philadelphia suburbs, made national news in May 2014 when Robert Birgeneau, former chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, withdrew as commencement speaker following student complaints about his role in the 2011 Berkeley Occupy protests. The students’ letter, as summarized by Philly.com, urged… Read more

  • Replacement Speakers at Haverford and Smith Urge Graduates to Listen to Other Viewpoints

    May 19, 2014

    “Disinvitation season” continues, but at least some students are getting a lesson in what the phenomenon means for open discourse on campus.

    Former Princeton University president William G. Bowen spoke at Haverford College’s commencement ceremony Sunday and criticized those whose demands ultimately led to former University of California, Berkeley chancellor Robert Birgeneau withdrawing from the event. And at Smith College, former Smith president Ruth J. Simmons replaced International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde as speaker after Lagarde backed down in the face of student protests. In her speech, Simmons emphasized the importance of hearing views with which you disagree, even those that are “deeply offensive.”

  • Don’t Save the Date: NYT, WSJ, Fox, MSNBC, NPR Cover ‘Disinvitation Season’

    May 13, 2014

    The Class of 2014 is preparing for graduation by buying their caps and gowns—but let’s hope they weren’t counting on having a speaker for the ceremony. The years-long, snowballing trend of protests against commencement speakers, which FIRE has termed “disinvitation season,” is getting major attention this year from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, MSNBC, and NPR, among many other outlets.

  • Commencement Invitation Drama Continues; Free Speech Advocates Speak Out

    May 9, 2014

    This spring, FIRE has already brought you the news of women’s rights activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali being disinvited from speaking at Brandeis University, Condoleezza Rice canceling her commencement speech at Rutgers University after some students objected to her invitation, and Pasadena City College disinviting and then re-inviting Academy Award-winning writer Dustin Lance Black. It’s been a pretty active “disinvitation season” so far, and free speech advocates are speaking up about why this trend is so worrying.

  • The Problem with Mandating Civility

    October 11, 2012

    FIRE is often referred to as a "watchdog" organization, and that is indeed an important part of what we do. But those who follow our work know that we also love to reward schools for upholding students’ free speech rights. That is why when a university earns a "green light" rating—a distinction currently awarded to… Read more