School Spotlight

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Location: North Adams, Massachusetts
Type: Public
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Speech Code Rating

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 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

  • Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 2, 2018

    Discriminatory harassment. A form of unlawful discrimination including verbal and/or physical conduct based on legally protected characteristics and/or membership in a protected class that: 1. has the purpose or effect of creating an objectively intimidating, hostile or offensive work or educational environment; 2. ... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Advertising Policy

    Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
    Last updated: May 2, 2018

    All flyers, banners, and table tents require approval from the Office of Student Development before being displayed. … Advertisements that promote the sale or use of alcohol or contain material that is deemed inappropriate or offensive to the campus community will not be approved for posting. Read More

  • Resident Student Handbook: Solicitation, Posting Policy & Private Enterprise

    Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
    Last updated: May 2, 2018

    The Director of RPS reserves the right to refuse permission to advertise events or services that promote the use of alcohol or are insensitive to members of the campus community. Read More

  • Student Handbook: Free Speech and Assembly

    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: May 2, 2018

    All students have a right to demonstrate on College premises provided no such demonstration shall materially disrupt class, work or other College business or involves substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others. … There shall be no interference with a demonstration on the grounds of content of spe... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Special Behavioral Standards for Students at MCLA

    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: May 2, 2018

    The College has concern for incidents in which students are subject to harassment because of membership in a particular racial, ethnic, religious, gender, self-identification of gender or sexual orientation group or because of their disability. Conduct less than a physical attack or contact is so severe or pervasive... Read More
At present, FIRE has not been involved in any cases at this school.

  • ‘Speech Code of the Month’ in ‘The FIRE Quarterly’

    May 25, 2007

    As Torch readers know, each month, FIRE features a college or university with a particularly egregious speech code as its Speech Code of the Month. We use Speech Code of the Month to educate the public about the ever-present problem of speech codes on campus, but the feature also helps put public pressure on these… Read more

  • New Speech Code of the Month Website Feature

    April 13, 2007

    FIRE’s Speech Code of the Month program has been an important vehicle for change. Since June 2005, five universities—Albertson College of Idaho, the University of Nevada at Reno, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Jacksonville State University, and the University of Mississippi—have changed their policies after being named Speech Code of the Month. In addition, the… Read more

  • Victory for Free Speech at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

    January 16, 2007

    Students at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts are much freer today than they were a year ago, thanks to a significant revision in university policy. Since being named FIRE’s Speech Code of the Month in January 2006, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has dramatically changed its policies. This victory for free expression follows a… Read more

  • Speech Code of the Month: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

    January 3, 2006

    FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for January 2006: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. The Student Handbook at Massachusetts College for Liberal Arts (MCLA), a public institution bound by the First Amendment, contains a Picketing Policy that provides as follows: “There shall be no interference with a demonstration on the grounds of content… Read more