Oregon State University

Office of Equity and Inclusion: Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment Policies

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 9, 2019

Oregon State University policy prohibits behavior based on another’s protected status that is sufficiently severe or pervasive that it has the effect, intended or unintended, of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance because it has created an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment and would have such an effect on a reasonable person of that individual’s status.

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Time, Manner, and Place Rules for Speech Activities

Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 9, 2019

The University recognizes and supports the rights of free expression and speech.

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University grounds are open to the public and the University community for speech activities except any grounds designated for authorized access only.

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In order to allow scheduling and to assure public safety, persons desiring to picket or demonstrate are encouraged to notify the appropriate university official at least 24 hours in advance.

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Student Conduct Code: Offenses Proscribed by the University

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 9, 2019

6. Harm or Endangerment to Persons. Conduct that causes physical harm or endangers the health or safety of any person.

7. Threats: Written, oral, or physical conduct that causes a reasonable expectation of injury to the health or safety of any person or damage to any property.

8. Harassment. Repeated, persistent, severe, or pervasive actions directed toward specific individual(s) with the intent or effect to harass, harm, or alarm, including attempted or threatened physical contact, or acts that create the reasonable apprehension of unwanted contact. Such acts may include but are not limited to face-to-face interactions, phone calls, text messages, and/or use of social media.

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Office of Equity and Inclusion: Bullying Policy

Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
Last updated: January 9, 2019

Under this University policy, bullying is prohibited. Bullying is defined as conduct of any sort directed at another that is severe, pervasive or persistent, and is of a nature that would cause a reasonable person in the victim’s position substantial emotional distress and undermine his or her ability to work, study or participate in his or her regular life activities, and actually does cause the victim substantial emotional distress and undermines the victim’s ability to work, study, or participate in the victim’s regular life activities.

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Reported Bias Incident Response Protocol

Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: January 9, 2019

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University Policy 05-001: Sexual Misconduct and Discrimination

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 9, 2019

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favor, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … Such conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive that it has the effect, intended or unintended, of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance because it has created an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment and would have such an effect on a reasonable person.

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OSU Honored for Policies Embracing Free Speech

December 22, 2016

By Staff at Oregon State University News Oregon State University has received a “green light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, indicating that university policies do not restrict speech… Read more here.

Oregon State University Scores Well In A New Free Speech Report

December 15, 2014

By Kim De Guzman at Sun Times According to a study released on Saturday, Oregon State University is one of 18 colleges across the United States without restrictive free-speech policies. From the Oregonian: “The University of Oregon has at least one policy that restricts free speech, while Western Oregon University’s policies are ambiguous, the report found. So says the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofit student-rights group in Philadelphia.” FIRE reviewed the written policies for 437 universities to determine if those policies restrict free speech. According to the press release accompanying the report, Oregon State was also one of […]

Campus Free Speech? Oregon State University Earns High Marks In News Report

December 13, 2014

By Brad Schmidt at The Oregonian Oregon State University is one of 18 colleges across the United States without restrictive free-speech policies, according to a report released Saturday. The University of Oregon has at least one policy that restricts free speech, while Western Oregon University’s policies are ambiguous, the report found. So says the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a nonprofit student-rights group in Philadelphia. FIRE reviewed the written policies for 437 universities to determine if those policies restrict free speech. Universities with restrictive policies were given a “red light,” those with policies that could be restrictive were bestowed […]

Oregon State Pays $101,000 in Legal Fees, Damages to Settle Lawsuit Over Junked Conservative Papers

April 4, 2014

By Kaitlyn Schallhorn at Campus Reform Oregon State University (OSU) has paid $100,000 in legal fees and $1,000 in damages to former students to settle a lawsuit after the university trashed the conservative student newspaper’s distribution bins. The lawsuit was formally dismissed Wednesday with the university found at fault by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. However, the school has not admitted to any wrongdoing. In 2009, distribution bins for The Liberty, the university’s conservative student paper, disappeared from campus. They were eventually found dumped in a trash heap at the edge of campus, still containing newspapers. Bins for the The Daily Barometer, OSU’s other student publication, […]

Under the Radar: Political Correctness Never Died

July 1, 2004

By Cathy Young at Reason

Universities Give Students Frightening Halloween Assignment: Pick a Costume

October 31, 2016

Is your “exhausted undergrad” costume ready for tonight’s festivities? That might be one of the frighteningly few outfit choices remaining if you attend a university expecting you to avoid “cultural appropriation” this year. And beware: The rules are petrifyingly hard to follow. While institutions are well within their rights to suggest costume considerations to their students, in practice, young adults are choosing their outfits these days under unprecedented levels of scrutiny. This year, these regulations/“suggestions” have come in a variety of forms, including handouts, seminars, and even a “Simple Costume Racism Evaluation and Assessment Meter (or SCREAM)” modeled after the […]

Oregon State Pays Hefty Price for Censorship via Newspaper Theft

April 4, 2014

Torch readers may remember the case of ‘Oregon State University Student Alliance v. Ray’, in which Oregon State University tried to stop distribution of the student newspaper the Liberty by confiscating (okay, trashing; see above) its news bins and citing an unwritten policy to block new news bins back in 2009.

2013 in Review: Threats from Washington, Victories in the States

December 30, 2013

As 2013 comes to a close, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) looks back on a year that was headlined by dire threats to free speech and student rights on campus.

Oregon State Earns Highest Rating for Free Speech Policies

December 13, 2013

Oregon State University (OSU) joins an elite group of colleges and universities by becoming just the 17th school in the country to receive FIRE’s highest, “green light,” rating for free speech policies. A college or university earns a green light when its written policies do not seriously imperil free speech. While the clear majority of the nation’s colleges maintain policies that clearly and substantially restrict freedom of speech, OSU is now a proud exception. It is Oregon’s first-ever green light school, and its policy change affects more than 27,000 students. “FIRE is thrilled to see another major state university eliminate its speech codes,” said […]

Oregon State University: One Policy Away from “Green Light

July 25, 2012

Emily Harrison is a FIRE summer intern. Oregon State University (OSU) is just one “red light” speech policy away from earning FIRE’s acclaimed “green light” distinction. The university revised its restrictive “Electronic Harassment” policy in 2008, which is a positive indicator of OSU’s willingness to protect the free speech rights of its students and faculty members. We hope this means that OSU might be willing to revise its “Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence” policy, which is OSU’s lone remaining speech code.  OSU’s Equity and Inclusion Office offers an “overview” of OSU’s sexual harassment policy: Sexual harassment includes sexual or gender-based behavior […]

Oregon State University Improves Bias Incident Policy

December 8, 2008

Here on The Torch, we have reported on several occasions about the growing number of university policies prohibiting so-called “bias incidents.” The problem, from FIRE’s perspective, is that these “bias incidents” are often defined to include constitutionally protected expression. One of the policies we highlighted in the past was a policy at Oregon State University defining a “bias incident” as “any behavior, word, or action directed toward an individual or group based upon actual or perceived identity characteristics or background. Such acts may result in creating an unsafe environment or have a negative psychological, emotional, or physical effect on an […]

Unconstitutional ‘Bias Reporting’ Programs: A Nationwide Problem

November 29, 2007

This fall, The College of William & Mary launched a Bias Incident Reporting System “to assist members of the William and Mary community—students, staff, and faculty—in bringing bias incidents to the College’s attention.” In its initial incarnation, the system was fraught with constitutional problems, from both free speech and due process standpoints. The system initially allowed for anonymous reporting, providing that “[a] person reporting online may report anonymously by leaving the personal information fields blank.” The definition of “bias” was overbroad and encompassed constitutionally protected expression: “A bias incident consists of harassment, intimidation, or other hostile behavior that is directed […]

Oregon Governor Signs Bill Protecting Student Press into Law

July 18, 2007

The Student Press Law Center reports that last Friday, the governor of Oregon signed into law a bill protecting the free speech rights of high school and college journalists. House Bill 3279 provides that: Student journalists are responsible for determining the news, opinion, feature and advertising content of school-sponsored media.Any student enrolled in a public institution of higher education may commence a civil action to obtain damages under this subsection and appropriate injunctive or declaratory relief as determined by a court for a violation of subsection (2) of this section, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or section […]

Student Editorial Highlights FIRE Case at Marquette University

November 8, 2006

A recent editorial in The Daily Barometer, the student newspaper at Oregon State University, picked up on the absurdity of FIRE’s recent case at Marquette University where the chair of the philosophy department, Dr. James South, removed a quote from humorist Dave Barry from a graduate student’s office door because South found the quote “patently offensive.” The quote read: As Americans, we must always remember that we all have a common enemy, an enemy that is dangerous, powerful, and relentless. I refer, of course, to the federal government.  If the quote doesn’t seem adequately nocuous to create any sort of […]

Oregon State’s Double Standard for Vandalism

November 17, 2005

Earlier this month, Samantha reported that 2005 FIRE summer intern Luke Sheahan has been shining some much-needed sunlight on newspaper theft at Oregon State University. Luke is a student there and runs a student publication called The Liberty, hundreds of copies of which continue to be stolen—as if the theft of a distribution bin wasn’t enough.   Given all of this, Luke wrote to OSU’s president with a very simple request: publicly condemn the vandals. The response? Nothing. So Luke also met with several other figures on campus—so far, to no avail. Of course, all of this might be understandable […]

FIRE Intern Fights for Press Freedom at Oregon State

November 2, 2005

Luke Sheahan, one of FIRE’s summer interns from 2005, has bravely taken the fight for free speech back to school with him. Sheahan is the publisher and executive editor of The Liberty, a student publication at Oregon State University. In October, a distribution bin for The Liberty was stolen from its location near the OSU bookstore. Sheahan quickly spoke out about the incident to the press and called upon OSU President Edward J. Ray to condemn the theft and reiterate the importance of press freedom. Sheahan stated: “I know that President Ray is committed to intellectual diversity and that he […]