Longwood University

Location: Farmville, Virginia
Website: http://www.longwood.edu
Type: Public
Federal Circuit: 4th Circuit

Speech Code Rating

Longwood University 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 here.

At present, FIRE has not been involved in any cases at this school.
Yellow Light Policies

  • Student Handbook: Sexual Misconduct Policy

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: December 7, 2016

    Sexual harassment is unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or visual, verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made a term or condition of employment or the educational relationship; (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as a basis for employment or education decisions affecting the individual; or (3) such conduct has the effect of unreasonably interfering with a student’s or employee’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working, educational, or living environment.

    While sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of conduct, some examples of specifically prohibited conduct include: … Engaging in sexually suggestive conversation or physical contact or touching another student or employee. … Displaying pornographic or sexually oriented materials.

    » Read More

  • Student Handbook: Code of Conduct Standards and Regulations- Abuse to Persons

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: December 7, 2016

    Students found responsible for violating the following should receive a minimum sanction of disciplinary probation. … Harassment, threats, intimidation, coercion or abuse (e.g., physical, verbal, graphic, or electronic) directed toward any person or group of people.

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  • Student Handbook: Freedom of Expression Policy

    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: December 7, 2016

    A. Students, faculty and staff wishing to give speeches, march or protest must register with the Office of Conferences and Scheduling at least 24 hours in advance by following standard space registration procedures at http://www.longwood.edu/scheduling/scheduling.htm.

    B. If notice is given less than 24 hours in advance, the University will make every effort to grant such a request provided that safety and security issues and logistical concerns can be appropriately addressed.

    C. The location of the speech, march or protest will be determined by University officials in consultation with the organizers and will be based on safety and security concerns.

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  • Policy 6104: Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources and Systems

    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: December 7, 2016

    For use to be acceptable, it must demonstrate respect for: … Individuals’ rights to be free of intimidation, harassment and unwarranted annoyance.

    » Read More

Green Light Policies

  • Student Handbook: Statement of Student Academic Freedom

    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: December 7, 2016

    Longwood University endorses the principle of academic freedom, believing it essential to the development of citizen leaders for the common good. Since the search for truth requires the free exchange of ideas, the University protects the right of students to engage in unhampered academic inquiry and exposition.

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At present, FIRE does not maintain information on this school's policies.

  • Longwood University: Our Bias Incident Policy Is Limited to Conduct (It’s Not) and No Bias Issues Have Been Reported (They Have)

    February 14, 2017

    Last week, FIRE published a nationwide survey of Bias Response Teams (PDF) demonstrating that many of these systems call upon students to report fellow students and faculty for protected speech, including political speech. One of the institutions we criticized for a particularly egregious definition of “bias incident” was Longwood University, which expressed its displeasure to the Richmond Times-Dispatch: [Virginia Commonwealth University] and [the University of Virginia] were among the universities criticized by FIRE, as were [Virginia] Tech, George Mason, Mary Washington, the University of Richmond and Longwood University, which was singled out for special scrutiny for including the threat of […]

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  • Student Calls Out Longwood University’s Speech Zones

    February 21, 2013

    At Virginia’s Longwood University, student Kramer Anderson has a bone to pick with Longwood’s “free speech zone” policy—and with good reason. As Anderson explains in a column for The Rotunda, Longwood’s student paper: The university’s current speech codes state, “The open area designated for speeches and demonstrations is the Lankford Mall … A request for use of this area must be made a minimum of five (5) business days in advance of the event … Groups or individuals may only use those designated areas once per month and for a maximum period of two days.” Longwood’s “Distribution of Written Materials, […]

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