Mount Holyoke College
Location: South Hadley, Massachusetts
Website: http://www.mtholyoke.edu
Type: Private
Federal Circuit: 1st Circuit
Speech Code Rating
Mount Holyoke 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 here.
Red Light Policies
Office of Residential Life Policies and Procedures: Bias-Related Incidents
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: May 25, 2018Harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender/gender expression, religion, age, or disability is not tolerated in the residence halls. Such behavior includes unwelcome slurs, jokes, graphic or written materials, and all other verbal or physical actions related to an individual’s personal background or attributes.
Protocols for Bias Incidents and Hate Crimes
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: May 25, 2018A bias incident at Mount Holyoke is an act of bigotry, harassment, or intimidation that occurs on the Mount Holyoke College campus that is directed at a member or group of the Mount Holyoke community because of that individual’s or group’s actual or perceived age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity/presentation, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, social class, veteran status, or any combination of these or related factors. In a bias incident the perpetrator may be known or unknown.
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Hostile or hateful speech or other discriminatory behavior may be considered a bias incident, but under certain conditions may also be a hate crime.
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The range of outcomes depends on the outcomes of the investigation into the case and which courses of action the target chooses to pursue (i.e. none, informal grievance, formal grievance, Council on Student Affairs, Student Disciplinary Process through the Dean of Students Office, legal remedies). Outcomes may include, but are not limited to: a letter of reprimand, mandatory educational project, social probation, suspension, required withdrawal, and inconclusive findings.
Student Handbook: Sexual Misconduct Policy
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: May 25, 2018Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … such advances, requests or conduct have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s education by creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or sexually offensive academic or educational environment.
Student Handbook: Community Responsibility
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: May 25, 2018The very act of choosing to become a member of the Mount Holyoke community implies a commitment to free inquiry, a search for understanding as central to the liberal arts education, and a willingness to share in the responsibility for maintaining an environment in which these goals may be attained.
Student Handbook: The Mount Holyoke Community
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: May 25, 2018Mount Holyoke College believes in the right, indeed the necessity, of free inquiry and free expression for every member of the College community.
