Tennessee Technological University
Location: Cookeville, Tennessee
Website: https://www.tntech.edu/
Type: Public
Federal Circuit: 6th Circuit
Speech Code Rating
Tennessee Technological University 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 here.
Policy Policy No. 302 Student Conduct: Prohibited Conduct- Harassment
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 3, 2018Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to the following: … Any conduct that falls within the terms of § T.C.A. 39-17-308 (Harassment) or T.C.A. § 39-17-315 (Stalking) or “student-on-student harassment”, which means unwelcome conduct directed toward a person that is discriminatory on a basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law, and that is so severe, pervasive, or objectively offensive that it effectively bars the victim’s access to educational opportunity or benefit
Policy No. 121 Access to and Use of Campus Property and Facilities: Use of Non-designated Areas
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: October 3, 2018F. Use of Non-designated Areas
1. Any entity or individual wishing to assemble, demonstrate, distribute literature or engage in similar public activity on the Tennessee Tech’s campus must complete an Application for Use five (5) business days in advance of the desired date of the event/activity. … Tennessee Tech will accommodate applications made less than five (5) business days in advance of the event when Tennessee Tech, in its sole discretion, deems such an accommodation feasible.
2. Upon written approval of the application, the requesting individual/entity must adhere to the following guidelines, in addition to other conditions of use identified in this policy or the Application for Use:
a. The activity must be held in the following non-designated areas, unless otherwise specified:
i. Centennial Plaza; or
ii. North Patio; or
iii. Western Section of Sherlock Park, excluding the picnic area
b. Participants in the activity must remain in the non-designated area.…
o. Activities are limited to a total of four (4) per month for any individual/entity. Tennessee Tech may consider additional requests for activities.
Policy No. 121 Access to and Use of Campus Property and Facilities: Distribution of Leaflets, Literature, Pamphlets, Etc.
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: October 3, 20181. Tennessee Tech may identify, with an approved Application for Use, locations where the sale or distribution of literature associated may be allowed.
2. Literature and/or advertisements may only be sold or distributed in conjunction with an approved Application for Use.…
Bulletin boards or approved areas for posting have been established within Tennessee Tech facilities for specific uses and/or entities. … c. The use of any or all bulletin boards or posting areas on campus may be subject to the prior approval of the official authorized to approve use of the board, whose name and contact information shall be posted on the board.
Guide for Successful Living: Community Bill of Rights
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: October 3, 2018The community bill of rights is a reminder to you of your rights as an individual and your responsibility to your fellow community members.
…
The right to be free from fear of intimidation, physical and emotional harm.
…The right to be free from peer pressure or ridicule regarding one’s beliefs, interests and behavior.
Policy No. 007 Free Speech on Campus
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: October 3, 2018B. Tennessee Tech is committed to giving Students the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, learn, and discuss any issue, subject to limitations set forth in this policy or in state or federal law.
C. Tennessee Tech is committed to maintaining a campus as a marketplace of ideas for all Students and all Faculty in which the free exchange of ideas is not to be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most members of Tennessee Tech’s community to be offensive, unwise, immoral, indecent, disagreeable, conservative, liberal, traditional, radical, or wrong-headed.…
K. Tennessee Tech will maintain the generally accessible, open, outdoor areas of its campus as traditional public fora for Free Speech by Students.
L. Tennessee Tech will not restrict Students’ Free Speech only to particular areas of the campus.
M. Tennessee Tech will not deny student activity fee funding to a student organization based on the viewpoints that the student organization advocates.
N. Tennessee Tech will not establish permitting requirements that prohibit students’ spontaneous outdoor assemblies or students’ outdoor distribution of literature but will allow members of the Tennessee Tech community to reserve certain outdoor space in advance, consistent with TTU Policy 121 (Access To and Use of Campus Property and Facilities).
O. Tennessee Tech will not charge Students security fees or costs based on the content of their speech, the content of guest speakers invited by students, or the anticipated reaction or opposition of listeners to speech.Policy No. 141 Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 3, 2018B. Harassment: unwelcome conduct based on a protected category where, … the conduct is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively bars the victim’s access to an educational opportunity or benefit.
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Sixth Circuit Publishes Important Campus Speech Case
July 9, 2012
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently decided to publish its April decision (PDF) in McGlone v. Bell, an important case for campus speech rights. It’s worth taking a closer look at the case and its implications for free speech zones maintained by universities nationwide. In McGlone, the Court ruled that Tennessee Technical University (TTU) violated the rights of John McGlone, an evangelical Christian who travels to university campuses to speak about his beliefs and distribute literature when it refused to let him speak or distribute literature anywhere on the public university campus outside of a […]
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