Light School

The Catholic University of America

Public or Private: Private
Federal Circuit: DC Circuit
Head of Institution: President Very Reverend David M O'Connell
The Catholic University of America
Office of the President
Nugent Hall
620 Michigan Ave. N.E.
Washington, DC 20064
202-319-5100
cua-president@cua.edu
Website: http://www.cua.edu

« Return to School Overview

Do you have any information, updates, or changes regarding the policies at this institution? Let us know!

On this page, FIRE has excerpted policies that address speech and expression. You may download the full policy in .pdf form, below.

Restrictions on Expressive Rights

Harassment Policies (Learn More)

light: Student Handbook: Code of Student Conduct- Harassment 09-10

The following are examples of misconduct subject to disciplinary action: ... Any actions, threats, gestures, and/or words directed toward another person which have the purpose or which tend to incite a breach of the peace, create a hostile environment, or cause emotional distress to that person because of the humiliating, degrading, intimidating, insulting, coercive, ridiculing, and/or alarming nature of the conduct. It frequently, but not always, involves a pattern of conduct.
View full policy (PDF, 149 KB).

light: Student Handbook: Code of Student Conduct- Harassment 09-10

The following are examples of misconduct subject to disciplinary action: ... Any unsolicited, offensive behavior that inappropriately asserts sexuality over status as a student or an employee; unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual favors; and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: ... Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or educational performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work, living, or learning environment.
View full policy (PDF, 149 KB).

Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility (Learn More)

light: Student Handbook: Code of Student Conduct- Disorderly Conduct 09-10

Disorderly Conduct:

1. Acting in a manner to annoy, disturb, interfere with, obstruct or be offensive to another/others.
View full policy (PDF, 149 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

light: Information Technology Computer Ethics 09-10

The following are examples of conduct prohibited by this policy: ... Performing activities that inappropriately consume large amounts of CUA computing resources. Excessive uses of computer resources include sending, inappropriate or frivolous messages; running massive, inefficient programs; or printing multiple copies of documents or data. ... Viewing, sending or making available offensive explicit materials, unless such activity is appropriate for academic or work purposes. This includes materials which would tend to create a hostile environment.
View full policy (PDF, 118 KB).

Other Speech Codes

light: Student Life Presentations Policy 09-10

This freedom to express oneself verbally, in writing, or by peaceful demonstration, even in significantly controversial matters, may be constrained in a private university by other values which are held to be equal, greater or prior. The Catholic University of America, as a private institution, is not required to provide a forum for advocates whose values are counter to those of the university or the Roman Catholic Church.
The university refuses to allow advocacy programs judged by the administration to be inconsistent with the university's underlying value base and in so doing exercises its freedom as a private, value-based institution.
The university, operating within the framework of the foregoing, is committed to its various constituencies to avoid the following:

1. blasphemy: the act of expressing irreverence for God or those things held sacred;

2. pornography: explicit sex lacking any artistic merit, portrayed in a vulgar and exploitative manner;

...

4. advocacy: meaning the act of pleading for, supporting, inciting or recommending active espousal of (as opposed to scholarly and abstract discourses), examining or questioning the legal, academic or moral propriety of the subject under discussion, constituting a clear and present danger of:

a. the violent overthrow of the government of the United States or any political subdivision thereof;

b. the destruction of, damage to, or the unlawful seizure or subversion of the university's buildings or other property;

c. the disruption, impairment or interference with the university's regularly scheduled classes or other educational functions;

d. coercion, threats, intimidations, blasphemy, defamation, physical harm or other invasions of the lawful rights of the members of the university community;

e. any campus disorder of a violent nature;

f. illegal acts constituting a deprivation of the civil or property rights of others.
View full policy (PDF, 116 KB).

light: Student Handbook: Code of Student Conduct- Community Expectations and Student Responsibility 09-10

Authentic Catholic community is born of deliberate ongoing commitment from every student to live in accordance with Catholic values and expectations. The Catholic University of America ("University" or "CUA"), is an academic community committed to research, teaching, learning, and service and acknowledges specific core values that characterize the University community in all of its activities. The ways in which the University community uniquely embodies these core values become trademarks of the CUA experience and an enduring part of the life of each and all of its members. Students who enroll at The Catholic University of America ("University") assume an obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the university’s interests as a Catholic educational institution.
View full policy (PDF, 149 KB).

NOTE: You must have Adobe Acrobat installed to view policies in PDF format.

The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in April 2010. According to FIRE’s research the substantive policies are current at least until this date. Directory information, including the name of the president of the college or university, may have been updated more recently. If any policy has been revised, or if you believe that we are in error, please contact us.