School Spotlight

University of Southern Indiana
Speech Code Rating
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Harassment (General)
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019Harassment is any conduct based on the victim’s actual or perceived identification with a particular protected class or classes that creates an intimidating, offensive or hostile working or learning environment that interferes with the victim’s work or education, or that adversely affects their living conditions. Su... Read MoreStudent Affairs: USI Creed
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies Restricting Freedom of Conscience
Last updated: February 5, 2019As a member of the USI community… I will practice personal and academic integrity; I will reject and confront all manifestations of discrimination while striving to learn from differences in people, ideas, and opinions; I will demonstrate concern for others, their feelings, their property, and their need for c... Read MoreStudent Rights and Responsibilities: Disorderly Conduct/Indecent Behavior
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019Disorderly, lewd, indecent, bullying, cyber-bullying or obscene conduct is prohibited, including the expression of such on University-owned or controlled property or at University sponsored or -supervised events, on or off campus. Read MoreStudent Rights and Responsibilities: Threatening or Intimidating Behavior
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019Behavior that involves an expressed or implied threat, which includes, but is not limited to the use of words verbal, written or electronic (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) inherently likely to provide an immediate violent reaction when directed toward a specific individual, or any behavior that has the purpose ... Read MoreCivil Rights and Sexual Misconduct Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019Harassment is a course of conduct that a reasonable person would find so severe or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or educational program participation, or that creates a hostile environment. Such harassment can be physical, written, verbal, or visual and other nonverb... Read MoreData Communications and Computer Use Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019Unacceptable activities … 12. Sending of abusive, harassing, or obscene messages via electronic devices. Read MoreStudent Rights and Responsibilities: Free Speech, Peaceful Dissent, Protests and Demonstrations Rights and Responsibilities
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019In accordance with the University of Southern Indiana’s obligation to promote the free expression of all views, the campus is open to any speaker whom registered student organizations, administrators, staff or faculty members have invited and for whom official arrangements to speak have been made with the University... Read MoreStudent Rights and Responsibilities: Social Media Policy
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: February 5, 2019USI will not regularly monitor the language and/or actions of students on social media platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. However, while the University will defer to the user policies of the individual social medium, USI will hold students accountable for reported related Code of Student Behavior... Read MoreStudent Rights and Responsibilities: Student’s Rights
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: February 5, 2019A student has the right to participate in a free exchange of ideas, and there shall be no University policy that in any way abridges the rights of freedom of speech, expression, petition, and peaceful assembly in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Read MoreStudent Rights and Responsibilities: Freedom of Expression Policy
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: February 5, 2019The University of Southern Indiana considers freedom of inquiry and discussion essential to a student’s educational development. Through open discussion of ideas and exchange of opinions, one can become informed and can test and give expression to values as they relate to issues concerning oneself and society. The i... Read More
University of Southern Indiana Adopts the Chicago Statement
August 31, 2016
The University of Southern Indiana (USI) has added the Chicago Statement—the FIRE-endorsed principles declaring free expression paramount on campus—to its employee handbook. USI joins more than a dozen other institutions at which faculty or administrative bodies have formally endorsed the 2015 University of Chicago (UChicago)-authored statement, which FIRE has called the gold standard for free… Read more
Student Paper Highlights University of Southern Indiana’s Speech Codes
April 9, 2010
In an article published yesterday in The Shield, the student newspaper at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), student Zach Evans highlights the unconstitutional speech policies in force at USI. Evans opens with an examination of USI’s free speech zone policy. With that in mind, what does free speech mean at USI? It all begins… Read more
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