University of Vermont
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: | Second Circuit | |
| Head of Institution: | President Thomas Sullivan University of Vermont President's Office Waterman Building, Room 350B 85 South Prospect Street Burlington, VT 05405 802-656-7878 thomas.sullivan@uvm.edu |
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| Website: | http://www.uvm.edu | |
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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)
Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities: Offenses Against Persons 12-13
Threatening or causing non-physical abuse of or abusive behavior toward another person,
including, but not limited to, verbal or written statements that constitute a form of expression not
protected by the First Amendment, such as obscenities, fighting words, or defamation. Nonphysical abuse is defined as conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating,
hostile or demeaning environment that substantially interferes with another’s ability to
participate in or realize the intended benefits of educational or employment opportunities,
peaceful enjoyment of residence, or physical security. Non-physical abuse shall be found where,
in aggregate, the conduct is sufficiently pervasive, persistent or severe that a reasonable person
would be adversely affected to such a degree.
View full policy (PDF, 1010 KB).
including, but not limited to, verbal or written statements that constitute a form of expression not
protected by the First Amendment, such as obscenities, fighting words, or defamation. Nonphysical abuse is defined as conduct that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating,
hostile or demeaning environment that substantially interferes with another’s ability to
participate in or realize the intended benefits of educational or employment opportunities,
peaceful enjoyment of residence, or physical security. Non-physical abuse shall be found where,
in aggregate, the conduct is sufficiently pervasive, persistent or severe that a reasonable person
would be adversely affected to such a degree.
Harassment: Students 12-13
B. "Harassment" includes conduct which violates subdivision (A) of this definition and constitutes one or more of the following: B.1. Sexual harassment, which means conduct that includes unwelcome sexual advances,
requests for sexual favors and other verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual
nature when one or both of the following occur:
B.1.a Submission to that conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of
a student's education.
B.1.b Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a student is used as a component of the
basis for decisions affecting that student.
B.2 Racial harassment, which means conduct directed at the characteristics of a student's or a
student's family member's actual or perceived race or color, and includes the use of epithets,
stereotypes, racial slurs, comments, insults, derogatory remarks, gestures, threats, graffiti,
display, or circulation of written or visual material, and taunts on manner of speech and
negative references to racial customs. B.3. Harassment also includes verbal, written, visual, or physical communications and/or
conduct based on or motivated by a student’s age that has the purpose or effect (1) of
substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance or access to University
resources or (2) of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive learning environment.
Harassment may include the use of epithets, stereotypes, slurs, comments, insults, derogatory
remarks, gestures, threats, graffiti, display, or circulation of written or visual material, taunts,
and negative references related to age.
requests for sexual favors and other verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual
nature when one or both of the following occur:
B.1.a Submission to that conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of
a student's education.
B.1.b Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a student is used as a component of the
basis for decisions affecting that student.
B.2 Racial harassment, which means conduct directed at the characteristics of a student's or a
student's family member's actual or perceived race or color, and includes the use of epithets,
stereotypes, racial slurs, comments, insults, derogatory remarks, gestures, threats, graffiti,
display, or circulation of written or visual material, and taunts on manner of speech and
negative references to racial customs. B.3. Harassment also includes verbal, written, visual, or physical communications and/or
conduct based on or motivated by a student’s age that has the purpose or effect (1) of
substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance or access to University
resources or (2) of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive learning environment.
Harassment may include the use of epithets, stereotypes, slurs, comments, insults, derogatory
remarks, gestures, threats, graffiti, display, or circulation of written or visual material, taunts,
and negative references related to age.
A. "Harassment" means an incident or incidents of verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct
based on or motivated by a student's or a student's family member's actual or perceived race,
creed, color, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, or disability that has the
purpose or effect of objectively and substantially undermining and detracting from or interfering
with a student's educational performance or access to school resources or creating an objectively
intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
View full policy (PDF, 517 KB).
based on or motivated by a student's or a student's family member's actual or perceived race,
creed, color, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, or disability that has the
purpose or effect of objectively and substantially undermining and detracting from or interfering
with a student's educational performance or access to school resources or creating an objectively
intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Sexual Harassment: Students 12-13
Examples of sexual harassment may include, but are not limited to, the following: ... persistent, offensive, and unwelcome sexual jokes and comments; unwelcome displays of sexually graphic pictures.
Sexual harassment: means conduct that includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual
favors, and other verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when one or more
of the following occur: ... The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially undermining and
detracting from or interfering with a student’s educational performance or access to school
resources or creating an objectively intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
View full policy (PDF, 474 KB).
favors, and other verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when one or more
of the following occur: ... The conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially undermining and
detracting from or interfering with a student’s educational performance or access to school
resources or creating an objectively intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Free Speech Zones
Solicitation 12-13
"Noncommercial solicitation" includes, without limitation, petition drives, public opinion
polling, membership drives for recognized groups and organizations, preaching,
proselytizing, political organizing, political canvassing, and political campaigning. It
also includes charitable fundraising for the benefit of the University, University-recognized groups and organizations, or other nonprofit or charitable organizations.
polling, membership drives for recognized groups and organizations, preaching,
proselytizing, political organizing, political canvassing, and political campaigning. It
also includes charitable fundraising for the benefit of the University, University-recognized groups and organizations, or other nonprofit or charitable organizations.
Unless they have already been
reserved, lawful non-commercial solicitation may occur without prior reservations at the
following venues:
a Royall Tyler Theatre plaza
b Davis Center Oval
c Davis Center Outdoor Stage area
d Bailey-Howe quad area
e the University Green area south of the Ira Allen statue
f Waterman main (east) entrance plaza
g Waterman College Street (south) entrance plaza
View full policy (PDF, 448 KB).
reserved, lawful non-commercial solicitation may occur without prior reservations at the
following venues:
a Royall Tyler Theatre plaza
b Davis Center Oval
c Davis Center Outdoor Stage area
d Bailey-Howe quad area
e the University Green area south of the Ira Allen statue
f Waterman main (east) entrance plaza
g Waterman College Street (south) entrance plaza
Posting Policies
Student Alcohol and Other Drug Policy 12-13
The sponsoring organization is responsible for any publicity, advertising, marketing, or
promotion that is disseminated in conjunction with the event and must ensure adherence to
the following guidelines: ... Advertisements should be consistent with University policy discouraging the demeaning
sexual or discriminatory portrayals of individuals or groups.
View full policy (PDF, 1040 KB).
promotion that is disseminated in conjunction with the event and must ensure adherence to
the following guidelines: ... Advertisements should be consistent with University policy discouraging the demeaning
sexual or discriminatory portrayals of individuals or groups.
Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Office: Bias Incidents Protocol 12-13
Bias incidents include those actions that are motivated by bias, but not meet the necessary elements to prove a crime.
View full policy (PDF, 138 KB).
Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities: Student Rights 12-13
The University of Vermont considers freedom of inquiry and discussion essential to a
student's educational development. Thus, the University recognizes the right of all
students to engage in discussion, to exchange thought and opinion, and to speak, write, or
publish freely on any subject, in accordance with the guarantees of the United States and Vermont constitutions. This broad principle is the cornerstone of education in a
democracy. Student groups may freely select persons they wish to invite as guest
speakers or performers. There are no restrictions on the points of view expressed by
speakers other than those imposed by federal or state law. The invitation to an outside
speaker does not imply approval or sponsorship of his/her views by the University or by
the group inviting that individual.
View full policy (PDF, 1010 KB).
student's educational development. Thus, the University recognizes the right of all
students to engage in discussion, to exchange thought and opinion, and to speak, write, or
publish freely on any subject, in accordance with the guarantees of the United States and Vermont constitutions. This broad principle is the cornerstone of education in a
democracy. Student groups may freely select persons they wish to invite as guest
speakers or performers. There are no restrictions on the points of view expressed by
speakers other than those imposed by federal or state law. The invitation to an outside
speaker does not imply approval or sponsorship of his/her views by the University or by
the group inviting that individual.
Campus Demonstration 12-13
Fundamental to our entire
philosophy is our firm belief that rights guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth
Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, including rights to freedom of
speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association must be protected on the campus as
elsewhere, and that local, state, and federal laws must prevail on the campus.
View full policy (PDF, 534 KB).
philosophy is our firm belief that rights guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth
Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, including rights to freedom of
speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association must be protected on the campus as
elsewhere, and that local, state, and federal laws must prevail on the campus.
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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in December 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.
