San Diego State University
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.
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)
Guide to Living in the Halls: Policies & Regulations- Physical Abuse and Harassment 12-13
Abusive physical and verbal behavior, and threats of physical abuse toward residents, guests, or staff, are violations of policy and will not be tolerated. Such conduct may be grounds for immediate judicial action, removal from the residence hall, eviction, and/or criminal prosecution. Examples of prohibited conduct include, but are not limited to sexual and racial harassment, threats of violence, sexual assault, fighting, punching, slapping, kicking, scratching and pushing. Practical jokes and pranks or other disruptions are prohibited in the campus community.
View full policy (PDF, 322 KB).
Executive Order 1074: Systemwide Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Against Students 12-13
Harassment means unwelcome conduct engaged in because of a Protected Status that is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that its effect, whether or not intended, could be considered by a reasonable person in the shoes of the Student, and is in fact considered by the Student, as limiting the Student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or opportunities offered by the University.
Sexual Harassment, as defined in California Education Code §212.5, consists of both non-sexual conduct based on sex or sex-stereotyping and conduct that is sexual in nature, and includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature where: ... The conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that its effect, whether or not intended, could be considered by a reasonable person in the shoes of the Student, and is in fact considered by the Student, as limiting the Student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or opportunities offered by the University.
View full policy (PDF, 1119 KB).
Executive Order 1072: Implementation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Related Sexual Harassment/Violence Legislation for CSU Students 12-13
"Sexual Harassment" is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that includes, but is not limited to: sexual violence; sexual advances; requests for sexual favors; indecent exposure; and other verbal, nonverbal or physical unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, where such conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that its effect, whether or not intended, could be considered by a reasonable person in the shoes of the individual, and is in fact considered by the individual, as limiting the individual's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or opportunities offered by the university. Sexual harassment also includes gender-based harassment, which may include acts of verbal, non-verbal or physical aggression, intimidation or hostility based on sex or sex-stereotyping, even if those acts do not involve conduct of a sexual nature.
View full policy (PDF, 475 KB).
Office of Employee Relations & Compliance: Sexual Harassment 12-13
Sexual harassment shall be any conduct, physical or verbal, that is sexual and has the effect of unreasonably interfering with a person's or a group's educational or work performance or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive educational or work environment.
Sexual harassment shall be the unwelcome imposition of sexual attention often in the context of a relationship of unequal power.
This policy shall apply to all persons at the university or attending university sponsored classes, events, and programs.
Conduct may be found to be sexually harassing if it is pervasive or repetitive and sufficiently severe to alter the conditions of employment, education, or participation in university-sponsored activities or is a single incident sufficiently outrageous or harmful in and of itself that it substantially alters the conditions of the environment for the complainant or interferes with a person's right to pursue an education or to perform a job-related responsibility.
Examples of sexually harassing conduct may include but shall not be limited to the following: (a) sexual assault, (b) derogatory comments of a sexual nature, (c) displaying sexually suggestive pictures or objects, (d) graphic verbal commentaries about a person's body, (e) impeding or blocking movements, (f) jokes of a sexual nature, (g) slurs of a sexual nature, (h) suggestive gestures, (i) unwelcome touching. Some of these examples may not, however, constitute sexual harassment if appropriate to reasonable academic purposes.
The California Education Code, sec. 212.5, states: "Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, made by someone from or in the work or educational setting, under any of the following conditions: ... The conduct has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact upon the individual's work or academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment."
View full policy (PDF, 231 KB).
Standards for Student Conduct 12-13
Conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person within or related to the University community, including
1. physical abuse, threats, intimidation, or harassment.
View full policy (PDF, 174 KB).
Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility (Learn More)
Standards for Student Conduct 12-13
Students are expected to be good citizens and to engage in responsible behaviors that reflect well upon their university, to be civil to one another and to others in the campus community, and contribute positively to student and university life.
View full policy (PDF, 174 KB).
Rights and Responsibilities as a Member of the Campus Community 12-13
At San Diego State University, students are invited to be active members of the educational community. As with any community, its members serve a vital role in determining acceptable standards of conduct, which include:
...
* Actions that are civil, courteous and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property, and the property of the University.
...
* Group behavior that promotes mutual respect, equality and safety of its members, and opposes those acts that harass, intimidate or haze its members.
The following Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities clarifies the rights, freedoms and responsibilities afforded to all students at San Diego State University, which include but are not limited to: ... The responsibility to treat all members of the campus community with civility, respect, and courtesy.
View full policy (PDF, 134 KB).
Internet Usage Policies
Student Responsibilities for Academic Computer Use 12-13
Communication through electronic mail should be encouraged and supported in the same manner as in classrooms, publications, and correspondence through standard hard copy mail. Professional codes of conduct shall prevail, and users shall adhere to standards of civil communication.
View full policy (PDF, 139 KB).
Standards for Student Conduct 12-13
Use of computing facilities and resource to send obscene or intimidating and abusive messages.
View full policy (PDF, 174 KB).
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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in September 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.
