California: Unconstitutional Discriminatory Harassment Policies

August 1, 2009

Residence Hall Handbook: Computing Policies- Online Harassment

Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: January 29, 2018

E-mail spamming and other forms of abuse or harassment are not permitted. This includes the use of the network to connect to and use 3rd-party sites (i.e. MySpace, Facebook, etc.) for the purpose of abuse and/or harassment.

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Residence Hall Handbook: Student Conduct Policies- Abuse, Threatening Behavior, Harassment, Stalking and Violence

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 29, 2018

Direct and indirect forms of abuse, threats, coercion, harassment, intimidation, stalking, bullying, unwanted personal contact, violence against another person or their property or causing the reasonable apprehension of physical or verbal harm, are prohibited. This policy includes but, is not limited to, physical, electronic, written, and verbal interactions.

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University of California Campus Climate

Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: January 29, 2018

If you experience or observe behavior that is inconsistent with our Principles of Community, please report it.

You may report in a variety of ways:

*Report anonymously or by name, via this Campus Climate page, by selecting the University of California campus where the incident occurred from the list to the right and clicking “Continue”.
* Report anonymously to an appropriate campus office, based on the nature of the incident. Please refer to the website for the campus where the incident occurred.
* Report anonymously via your campus’ Bias Reporting page, by selecting your campus from the Local Bias Reporting menu above. If your campus does not appear on this list, there is no local reporting form available. Please use this form, instead.
* File a report with your Campus Police Department, via the Campus Police menu above.

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Expressions of Bias: A general communication not directed toward a particular individual, which disparages a group of people on the basis of some characteristic ….

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Hate Speech: Hate speech is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display that may incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, gender, gender identity, ethnicity ….

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UCR Principles of Community

Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: January 29, 2018

We as members of the University of California, Riverside affirm our responsibility and commitment to creating and fostering a respectful, cooperative, professional and courteous campus environment. Implicit in this mutual respect is the right of each of us to live, study, teach, and work free from harassment or denigration on the basis of race/ethnicity, age, religious or political preference, gender, transgender, sexual orientation, nation of origin, or physical abilities. Any violation of this right by verbal or written abuse, threats, harassment, intimidation, or violence against person or property will be considered a violation of the principles of community that are an integral part of the University of California’s focus, goals, and mission (and subject to sanction according to University policies and procedures).

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Policy Number: 700-70: Speech and Advocacy

Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: January 29, 2018

On University grounds open to the public generally, all persons may exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression speech, assembly, worship and distribution and sale of non-commercial literature incidental to the exercise of these freedoms. … “Areas open to the public generally” are defined as the outdoor paved walkways on the campus.

Any pre-advertised activity, activity requiring sound amplification, or activity which can reasonably be expected to attract a crowd of 25 or more must be scheduled in advance in the Scheduling Office, and is limited to the Tower Mall or Speaker’s Mound area.

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Policy Number 700-50: Posting Regulations

Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: January 29, 2018

All materials to be posted on bulletin boards and kiosks must be no larger than 8 1/2″ x 11″. Materials must clearly bear the name of the sponsoring organization or department, and must be stamped “MEETS UC RIVERSIDE POSTING POLICY” in the Campus Activities Office.

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Residence Hall Handbook: Student Conduct Policies – Disorderly Conduct

Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: January 29, 2018

Lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct or expression (including oral, visual, and other means), is prohibited. Viewing of sexually explicit materials or engaging in sexual acts in common areas is not permitted.

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Time, Place and Manner Ground Rules

Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: January 29, 2018

Demonstrators may conduct their activities during normal business hours in the public areas of any campus facility, or any time in any outdoor public place (.e., outdoor places/spaces with unrestricted access). After-hours activities may be authorized in specific campus facilities, after consultation with the appropriate campus officials, and may require the presence of mutually acceptable campus staff and/or faculty acting as activity monitors.

The following rules of conduct apply to all persons, not solely demonstrators:

1. No one may interfere with, or block or impede, the normal access, ingress or egress to or from any building or portion of one.

2. No one may block or impede access to any emergency alarm system(s).

3. No one may interfere or tamper with any part of any emergency alarm system.

4. No one may engage in any activity which endangers personal safety, which results in damage to personal or University property, or which violates the privacy and/or confidentiality of sensitive University records.

5. No one may interfere with, or disrupt, normal University business, classes, or any organized and authorized University activity inside or outside a campus building.

6. No one may refuse to follow the lawful directions of a university official or police officer acting in their official capacities.

7. No one may interfere with the ability of vehicles to enter or exit a roadway or with the normal flow of vehicular traffic.

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Standards of Conduct: Harassment

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 29, 2018

Harassment, defined as conduct that is so severe and/or pervasive, and objectively offensive, and that so substantially impairs a person’s access to University programs or activities that the person is effectively denied equal access to the University’s resources and opportunities.

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University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: March 20, 2017

Sexual Harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … such conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive that it unreasonably denies, adversely limits, or interferes with a person’s participation in or benefit from the education, employment or other programs and services of the University and creates an environment that a reasonable person would find to be intimidating or offensive.

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UC Riverside Student Government Resolves to Reform Free Speech Policy; FIRE to Help

November 7, 2013

Some good is beginning to come from the fiasco at Modesto Junior College, where administrators stopped student Robert Van Tuinen from distributing copies of the Constitution on Constitution Day because he had not booked the campus’ “free speech area” five days in advance. As reported by University of California, Riverside students Sandy Van and Winnie Jeng in the Highlander, the Associated Students of UC Riverside (ASUCR), the school’s student government, cited the Modesto incident as a motivating force behind the recently introduced “Resolution to Revise Policies Limiting Student Speech and Assembly.” In a “pre-emptive” move, ASUCR wants to be sure that the administrators at UC Riverside […]

UC Riverside: Told You So

December 15, 2011

Just two weeks ago, writing about free speech in the University of California system, I noted: UC Riverside‘s policy with the misleading name “Freedom of Speech in Promoting Events and Organizations” states that “[P]ublicity should not contain … violent images or language against individuals or groups” and goes even further to state, “When considering forms of expression to promote your organization or event, check to make sure … [t]he expression does not portray negative or belittling images of others.”  This is an unconstitutional threat to free speech. UC Riverside students are not allowed to, say, portray UC Davis Lieutenant John […]

University of California Schools Flout Student Speech Rights

November 29, 2011

While some University of California schools are facing scrutiny due to their handling of students’ exercises of free speech and civil disobedience, others in the system have unfinished business protecting students’ free speech rights in their policies. All eight of the UC universities reviewed by FIRE have “red light” or “yellow light” ratings for restricting campus speech, and four of them have flouted UC President Mark Yudof’s 2009 directive to protect free speech in their policies regarding discriminatory harassment. UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz all have been rated by FIRE with a red light for […]

Fraternities Must Stand Up to Schools’ Squelching Free Speech

October 11, 2004

While there is no shortage of free-speech battles on college campuses, fraternities have the dubious honor of being at the center of many of the least-sympathetic controversies. From Halloween parties where brothers show up dressed as Ku Klux Klan members to fraternity newsletters that graphically relate a brother’s sexual exploits with named co-eds, fraternities sometimes express themselves in ways that are not exactly likely to win the battle for hearts and minds. However, although fraternities later may regret the actions of some of their brothers, they must not allow their rights to be stripped away by overzealous or opportunistic administrators. […]

Practical Advice for Fraternities Caught in the Battle for Free Speech on Campus

September 16, 2004

I. Introduction While there is no shortage of free speech battles on college campuses, fraternities have the dubious honor of being at the center of many of the least sympathetic controversies. From Halloween parties where brothers show up dressed as Ku Klux Klan members to fraternity newsletters that graphically relate a brother’s sexual exploits with named co-eds, fraternities sometimes express themselves in ways that are not exactly likely to win the battle for hearts and minds. However, although fraternities may later regret the actions of some of their brothers, they must not allow their rights to be stripped away by […]