Yellow Light School

University of Oklahoma

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: Tenth Circuit
Head of Institution: President David L Boren
University of Oklahoma
President's Executive Office
550 Parrington Oval
Norman, OK 73019
405-325-3916
dboren@ou.edu
Website: http://www.ou.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: Non-Discrimination Policy 12-13

Harassment as a form of discrimination is defined as verbal or physical conduct that is directed at an individual or a group because of race, color, sex ... sexual orientation, genetic information, religion, political beliefs, national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or veteran status when such conduct is sufficiently severe, pervasive and objectively offensive so as to have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s or group’s academic or work performance or of creating a hostile academic or work environment viewed by examining a totality of the circumstances from the standpoint of a reasonable person with the same characteristics as the purported recipient of the harassing conduct.
View full policy (PDF, 221 KB).

Green light: Student Rights and Responsibilities Code: Prohibited Conduct 12-13

Abusive conduct: Unwelcome conduct that is sufficiently severe and pervasive that it alters the
conditions of education or employment and creates an environment that a reasonable person would
find intimidating, harassing or humiliating. ... Mental harassment: Intentional conduct that is so extreme and outrageous that a reasonable person
would not tolerate it.
View full policy (PDF, 823 KB).

Green light: Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination & Sexual Harassment Policy 12-13

Other forms of misconduct based on one’s gender also constitute violations of this policy including: threatening or causing physical harm, extreme verbal abuse, or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person ... Bullying, defined as repeated and/or severe aggressive behavior likely to intimidate or intentionally hurt, control or diminish another person, physically or mentally (that is not speech or conduct otherwise protected by the First Amendment).
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. Sexual harassment is unwelcome and discriminatory speech or conduct undertaken because of an individual’s gender that is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it has the systematic effect of unreasonably interfering with or depriving someone of educational, institutional, or employment access, benefits, activities, or opportunities.
View full policy (PDF, 503 KB).

Yellow light: Regents' Policy Manual: Sexual Harassment/Sexual Assault Policy 12-13

Sexual harassment shall be defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and
other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the following context: ... when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or
offensive working or academic environment.
Conduct prohibited by this policy may include, but is not limited to: ... Continued or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual nature, such as suggestive comments and
sexually explicit jokes. Sexually degrading language to describe an individual. Remarks of a sexual nature to describe a person’s body or clothing. Display of sexually demeaning objects or pictures. ...
View full policy (PDF, 235 KB).

Free Speech Zones

Green light: Facility Use and Solicitation Policy for Registered Student Organizations and Individual OU Students 12-13

There are several areas located on the University campus that are open to students and RSOs for
free speech, protests, leafleting, etc. and require no reservation or notice (unless such use also
includes the placement of tables, booths, structures, large displays, vehicles, sound, audio or PA
systems, or when assistance is needed from the University, in which case reservations as noted in
Paragraph B below are required) ... The public areas for use by RSOs/Students include all public sidewalks, and the following areas:
Areas Governed by Student Life (405-325-4415)
Concrete South of Bizzell Statue
East side of Dale Hall
West side of Gaylord Hall
Lloyd Noble Parking Lot-Southeast Quadrant
Duck Pond
South Oval (West side grassy area and East side grassy area)
Unity Garden
East side Dale Hall, Copeland Hall, Kaufman Hall, Gittinger Hall or Nielson Hall
West side of Gaylord Hall, Gould Hall, George Lynn Cross Hall or Richards Hall
East side of Physical Science Center
West lawn of Felgar Hall
Gould Hall courtyard
Library Mall walkway north of Nielson Hall
Dale Hall breezeway
Non-landscaped areas of the North Oval
The grassy area immediately north of Evans Hall
View full policy (PDF, 1148 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Yellow light: Interim Policy on Acceptable Use of Information Resources 12-13

The following are examples of uses that are unacceptable: ... use University systems for commercial or partisan political purposes, such as using electronic mail to circulate advertising for products or for political candidates.
View full policy (PDF, 99 KB).

Other Speech Codes

Yellow light: Facility Use and Solicitation Policy for Registered Student Organizations and Individual OU Students 12-13

The University of Oklahoma Chief of Police, or his or her designee, shall have the final decisionmaking capability and will decide how many police officers will be present, if any, and how
many security personnel will be present, if any, after being properly advised as to the facts
surrounding the event and the likelihood of potential disruptions or security threats ... The
RSO/student shall be responsible for the cost of additional security.
View full policy (PDF, 1148 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 March 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.