Yellow Light School

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

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.

Public or Private: Public
Federal Circuit: First Circuit
Head of Institution: President Mary K Grant
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Eldridge Hall 201A
375 Church Street
North Adams
North Adams, MA 01247
413-662-5201
mgrant@mcla.edu
Website: http://www.mcla.edu

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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)

Green light: Student Handbook: Special Behavioral Standards for Students at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts- Harassment 12-13

Conduct less than a physical attack or contact, which is so severe or pervasive that it interferes with a person's employment, academic performance or participation in College programs or activities, and creates a working, learning, program or activity environment that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile or offensive.
View full policy (PDF, 147 KB).

Green light: Student Handbook: Policy Against Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment and Retaliation 12-13

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: ... such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's academic or professional performance or creating a sexually intimidating, hostile or offensive employment, educational or living environment.
Discriminatory harassment: A form of unlawful discrimination including verbal and/or physical conduct based on legally protected characteristics and/or membership in a protected class that: has the purpose or effect of creating an objectively intimidating, hostile or offensive work or educational environment; has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or learning performance; or otherwise unreasonably adversely affects an individual's employment or educational opportunities.
View full policy (PDF, 146 KB).

Posting Policies

Yellow light: Resident Student Handbook: Solicitation, Posting Policy & Private Enterprise 12-13

The Director of RPS reserves the right to
refuse permission to advertise events or services that
promote the use of alcohol or are insensitive to
members of the campus community.
View full policy (PDF, 248 KB).

Yellow light: Student Handbook: Advertising Policy 12-13

Advertisements that promote the sale or use of alcohol or contain material that is deemed
inappropriate or offensive to the campus community will not be approved for posting.
View full policy (PDF, 56 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Yellow light: Electronic Communications Policy 12-13

Users should avoid purposefully giving offense to others. Users are expected to follow proper "netiquette" when using the College network, electronic communication systems, or the Internet.
View full policy (PDF, 66 KB).

Other Speech Codes

Green light: Student Handbook: Free Speech and Assembly 12-13

There shall be no interference with a demonstration on the grounds of content of speech,
except for any speech or demonstration, which incites immediate violent actions,
represents a clear and present danger to the campus community, is motivated by hate
or bias and may constitute a violation of state law.
View full policy (PDF, 53 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Green light policy: Student Handbook: Free Speech and Assembly 12-13

MCLA embraces a student's right to free speech and assembly and recognizes that an exercise of ones freedom of expression can contribute to individual and community learning.
View full policy (PDF, 53 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 January 2013. 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.