Red Light School

Shawnee State University

A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more here.

Public or Private: Public
Federal Circuit: Sixth Circuit
Head of Institution: President Rita R Morris
Shawnee State University
President's Office
940 Second Street
Portsmouth, OH 45662-4344
740-351-4778
rmorris@shawnee.edu
Website: http://www.shawnee.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)

Yellow light: Board of Trustees: University-Wide Policies- Unlawful and Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment 12-13

Examples of hostile environment harassment may include, but are
not limited to:
Comments that are negative and consistently targeted at one gender, race,
or other Title VII category, or sexual orientation. ... Verbal conduct such as epithets; derogatory or obscene comments; slurs or
sexual invitations; negatively stereotypical jokes; propositions; suggestive,
insulting, obscene comments or other verbal abuse of a sexual nature;
graphic, verbal commentary about an individual's body, sexual prowess or
sexual deficiencies, race-based insults, intimidations, or ridicule. ... Visual conduct such as derogatory posters, photographs, cartoons,
drawings or gestures or other displays in the work place of sexually or
racially derogatory objects or pictures; transmitting or posting via electronic
or other medium defamatory, harassing, obscene or threatening messages
or any communications prohibited by law.
Unlawful and prohibited harassment can occur from a single severe overt action such as
physical assault or from a pattern of unwelcome statements or actions that are sufficiently
severe or pervasive so as to interfere with an individual's work performance, or create an
intimidating, hostile or offensive work or academic environment, when: ... Has the effect of interfering with an individual's employment or academic
performance, or, creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or
educational environment (hostile environment).
View full policy (PDF, 904 KB).

Red light: Title IX: Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence 12-13

Examples of sexual misconduct include: ... Displaying or distributing sexually explicit drawings, pictures, or written materials; ... Telling sexual or dirty jokes; ... Circulating or showing e-mails or web sites of a sexual nature.
View full policy (PDF, 66 KB).

Green light: Student Conduct Code 12-13

Offenses Harmful to the Safety and Environmental Health of Others ... Harassment, intimidation, or stalking. ... Placing a person or persons in reasonable fear of imminent physical harm. ... Communication of a threat (verbal abuse).
View full policy (PDF, 565 KB).

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

Yellow light: Student Code of Conduct: Statement of General Principles 12-13

All members of the
university community share a responsibility for maintaining an environment where actions are guided by mutual respect,
civility, and integrity.
View full policy (PDF, 565 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Yellow light: Conditions for Use of Campus Computing Resources: Mass Distribution 12-13

Mass distribution is defined as sending an email to a group of University users, who have not otherwise indicated their desire to receive messages not directly related to their University position or University mission. Sending multiple copies of the same message to multiple groups is also mass distribution. Mass distribution of messages is permissible only for University business and official University-sponsored activities. Mass distribution of other non-University business and non-University-sponsored activities may be considered "spamming" and a violation of the Conditions for Use of Campus Computing Resources as determined by the President or President’s designee.
View full policy (PDF, 525 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Green light policy: Board of Trustees: University-Wide Policies- Unlawful and Prohibited Discrimination and Harassment 12-13

Freedom of expression is essential to the educational mission of Shawnee State University.
View full policy (PDF, 904 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 August 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.