School Spotlight

Northern Vermont University
Speech Code Rating
Vermont State Colleges Manual of Policies & Procedures: Non-Discrimination and Prevention of Harassment and Related Unprofessional Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Red
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 8, 2021Under Vermont law, “harassment” means an incident or incidents of verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct or communication, including any incident conducted by electronic means, based on or motivated by a person’s or person’s family member’s, actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, national ... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Prohibited Conduct- Section 1
Speech Code Rating: Red
Speech Code Category: Other Speech Codes
Last updated: September 8, 2021Behavior which threatens or endangers the health or safety of oneself or others’ person or property. This includes actions, implied actions, and threatened actions. Examples include (but are not limited to): • Disorderly conduct (including public intoxication or drug impairment, public urination) • Obscene or ... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Prohibited Conduct- Section 13
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: September 8, 2021Theft or abuse of the computer or phone systems. Examples of prohibited actions include (but are not limited to): … Use of computing facilities or phone service to send threatening, harassing, obscene, or abusive messages. Read MoreVermont State Colleges Manual of Policies & Procedures: Non-Discrimination and Prevention of Harassment and Related Unprofessional Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 8, 2021“Sexual harassment” is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature and it includes quid pro quo sexual harassment and hostile environment sexual harassment. Sexual harassment includes physical conduct of a sexual nature, such as sexual assault or other acts of sexual violence. Sexual harassment under Title IX, including se... Read MoreVermont State Colleges Manual of Policies & Procedures: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Exploitation, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 8, 2021The following Prohibited Conduct definitions apply for purposes of the definition of Title IX Sexual Harassment: … Severe, pervasive and objectively offensive sexual harassment for purposes of the Title IX Sexual Harassment definition is conduct on the basis of sex committed in an education program or activity... Read MoreStudent Handbook: The NVU Community Commitment
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: September 8, 2021Demonstrated through our actions and beliefs we are committed to … A community where freedom of expression is protected … Read More
January 2021 Speech Code of the Month: Northern Vermont University
January 6, 2021
This January, we hope colleges and universities have put policy reform on their New Year’s resolution lists. After all, the vast majority of public and private institutions across the country ban constitutionally protected speech, putting students at risk of punishment, whether they’re on or off campus. One reason so many colleges maintain restrictive speech codes… Read more
Speech Code of the Month: Lyndon State College
February 9, 2015
FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for February 2015: Lyndon State College (LSC) in Vermont. LSC’s “Civility Policy” prohibits “uncivil, disrespectful, or disruptive expressions of opinions including obscenities.” As someone at LSC surely must know, most “obscenities” (commonly understood as curse words) and disrespectful or uncivil language are wholly protected by the First… Read more