Yellow Light School

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

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: Fourth Circuit
Head of Institution: Chancellor Holden Thorp
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Office of the Chancellor
103 South Building, Campus Box 9100
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
919-962-1365
chancellor@unc.edu
Website: http://www.unc.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: Policy on Prohibited Harassment, Including Sexual Misconduct, and Discrimination 12-13

The following definitions are applicable to this policy. ... Hostile Environment * Unwelcome conduct by an individual(s) against another individual based upon [race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression] that is sufficiently severe or pervasive that it alters the conditions of education or employment and creates an environment that a reasonable person would find intimidating, hostile or offensive. The determination of whether an environment is hostile must be based on all of the circumstances. These circumstances could include the severity of the conduct, the frequency and whether it is threatening or offensive. An isolated incident unless extremely severe will usually not amount to hostile environment harassment.
The following definitions are applicable to this policy. ... Harassment: A form of discrimination that occurs when verbal or physical conduct based on an individual's [race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression] unreasonably interferes with that individual's work or academic performance or creates a hostile work or educational environment for that individual, including affecting his/her personal safety or participation in University-sponsored activities.
View full policy (PDF, 277 KB).

Yellow light: Instrument of Student Judicial Governance: Conduct Affecting Persons 12-13

Disruptive or intimidating behavior that willfully abuses,
disparages, or otherwise interferes with another (other than on the
basis of the protected classifications identified and addressed in
the University’s Policy on Prohibited Harassment and
Discrimination) so as to adversely affect their academic pursuits,
opportunities for University employment, participation in
University-sponsored extracurricular activities, or opportunities to
benefit from other aspects of University Life.
View full policy (PDF, 83 KB).

Green light: Dean of Students: Education and Outreach- Sexual Harassment 12-13

The University defines harassment as:

-- A form of discrimination that occurs when verbal or physical conduct based on an individual’s protected status unreasonably interferes with that individual’s work or academic performance or creates a hostile work or educational environment for that individual, including affecting his/her personal safety or participation in University-sponsored activities.
View full policy (PDF, 176 KB).

Free Speech Zones

Green light: Facilities Use Policy 12-13

Subject to restrictions on the use of University facilities prescribed elsewhere in this policy, the University permits assemblies and gatherings of University-sponsored, University-affiliated and nonaffiliated groups (i) without prior approval in Y-Court and the Carolina Union "Pit" and (ii) with prior approval, in any other exterior location.
View full policy (PDF, 676 KB).

Posting Policies

Yellow light: Housing & Residential Education: Flyer Distribution in the Halls 12-13

All flyers must be approved by the Department of Housing and Residential Education before they are posted in any residence hall.
Flyers or other posted material may not contain profanity, obscenity, or advertise or endorse conduct or events that would constitute violations of the Instrument of Student Judicial Governance (http://honor.unc.edu/instrument/), Department of Housing and Residential Education policies, University policies, and/or federal or state law.
View full policy (PDF, 118 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Green light: UNC-Chapel Hill Network Acceptable Use Policy 12-13

Users may not distribute or send unlawful communications of any kind, including but not limited to cyberstalking, threats of violence, obscenity, child pornography, or other illegal communications (as defined by law). This provision applies to any electronic communication distributed or sent within the University Network or to other networks while using the University Network.
View full policy (PDF, 270 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 October 2012. 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.