School Spotlight

Stevens Institute of Technology

Location: Hoboken, New Jersey
Type: Private
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Speech Code Rating

Stevens Institute of Technology 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

  • Student Handbook: Student Code of Conduct- Discrimination and Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Red
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    Harassment, which is defined as unwelcome conduct that occurs on the basis of a protected characteristic. Harassment can be verbal (comments, slurs), physical (contact, intimidation, threats), visual (exposure to unwanted images), or communication-based (phone calls, emails, texts, chats, blogs). Read More

  • Information Technology Acceptable Use Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Red
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    While the Internet is considered a public electronic highway, the Stevens network is a private resource. As such, access and use of the network must [be] in accordance with Stevens’ rules and policies as well as all legal regulations. Therefore, the following actions are strictly prohibited: … Use of re... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Preserving Academic Freedom

    Speech Code Rating: Red
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    The following are set forth in the interest of ensuring due consideration of the privileges and obligations of all members of the Stevens community — undergraduate, graduate, faculty and staff: … 3. Peaceful demonstrations or similar actions will be allowed on the Stevens campus by Stevens personnel, provided:... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Student Code of Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    All undergraduate and graduate students shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the mission of the university. Students are expected to demonstrate integrity by maintaining an ongoing dedication to honesty and responsibility, to demonstrate trustworthiness by acting in a reliable and dependable manner, ... Read More

  • Policy on Discrimination, Harassment and Bias Incidents

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    Harassment is unwelcome, offensive conduct that occurs on the basis of a Protected Characteristic. It is a form of discrimination and violates this Policy. Conduct that violates this Policy is not necessarily a violation of the law. While it is not possible to identify every form of conduct that can constitute haras... Read More

  • Policy on Gender-Based and Sexual Misconduct

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    C. Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature or on the basis of sex, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, acts of sexual violence, or other verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct, when one of the following conditions is present: … The conduct is sufficiently severe, pe... Read More

  • Faculty Handbook: Policies and Procedures for Preserving Academic Freedom on the Stevens Campus

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: March 25, 2019

    Stevens Institute of Technology’s central functions of teaching, learning, research, and scholarship depend upon an atmosphere in which freedom of inquiry, thought, expression, publication, and peaceable assembly are given the fullest protection. Expression of the widest range of viewpoints is encouraged, free... Read More
At present, FIRE has not been publicly involved in any cases at this school.

  • May 2019 Speech Code of the Month: Stevens Institute of Technology

    May 1, 2019

    Can you imagine a protest that doesn’t offend at least one person? I can’t — protesters typically use polarizing language in order to communicate ideas and draw attention to their support or opposition for a cause, and there’s bound to be someone who doesn’t like that language. Yet at Stevens Institute of Technology in New… Read more

  • Why Did Stevens Institute of Technology Eliminate Free Speech Protections?

    April 19, 2010

    If you are a student at Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, you should be aware that your university has eliminated significant protections for free speech from its Student Handbook. The list of “student rights” in previous versions of the Handbook included the “constitutional rights of freedom of expression and assembly, and the rights… Read more

  • Happy Valentine’s Day—Harasser!

    February 14, 2006

    Today, as we all know, is Valentine’s Day. It’s a day for love, mushy cards, chocolate, flowers, hearts, romantic dinners, and—harassment. Or at least that’s what many university administrators seem to think. Take, for example, Stevens Institute of Technology, FIRE’s Speech Code of the Month school for December. Stevens bans “comments regarding a person’s attire,… Read more

  • Speech Codes of the Year: 2005

    December 29, 2005

    An outrageous number of colleges and universities severely restrict their students’ expressive rights—so many that researching and analyzing these restrictions is my full-time job. As 2005 draws to a close, I would like to highlight just a few of the particularly outrageous (but, sadly, quite common) restrictions that I found in the course of my… Read more

  • Speech Code of the Month: Stevens Institute of Technology

    December 1, 2005

    FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for December 2005: Stevens Institute of Technology. Although Stevens is a private institution, it promises its students “[t]he constitutional rights of freedom of expression and assembly” and “the right of freedom to hear and participate in dialogue and to examine diverse views and ideas.” Unfortunately, Stevens maintains… Read more