Yellow Light School

University of California, Davis

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: Ninth Circuit
Head of Institution: Chancellor Linda Katehi
University of California, Davis
Fifth Floor Mrak Hall
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
530-752-4964
Website: http://www.ucdavis.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 Student Conduct And Discipline 12-13

SHarassment, defined as conduct that is so severe and/or pervasive, and objectively offensive, and that so substantially impairs a person’s access to University programs or activities that the person is effectively denied equal access to the University’s resources and opportunities.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to, conduct that is motivated on the basis of a person's race, color, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identify, pregnancy, marital status, ancestry, service in the uniformed services, physical or mental disability, medical condition, or perceived membership in any of these classifications.
View full policy (PDF, 413 KB).

Green light: Sexual Harassment 12-13

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and
other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submission to or rejection of this
conduct affects a person’s employment or education, unreasonably interferes with a person’s
work or educational performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or
learning environment.
View full policy (PDF, 520 KB).

Policies Restricting Freedom of Conscience (Learn More)

Yellow light: Principles of Community 12-13

The successful conduct of the university's affairs requires that every member of the university community acknowledge and practice the following basic principles: ... We affirm the inherent dignity in all of us, and we strive to maintain a climate of justice marked by respect for each other. We acknowledge that our society carries within it historical and deep-rooted misunderstandings and biases, and therefore we will endeavor to foster mutual understanding among the many parts of our whole. ... We confront and reject all manifestations of discrimination, including those based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs, status within or outside the university, or any of the other differences among people which have been excuses for misunderstanding, dissension or hatred. We recognize and cherish the richness contributed to our lives by our diversity. We take pride in our various achievements, and we celebrate our differences.
View full policy (PDF, 244 KB).

Free Speech Zones

Green light: Policy and Procedure Manual: Distribution of Information and Literature 12-13

Any person may hand-distribute literature on University outdoor areas open to the public
generally, except that materials may not be distributed in outdoor areas surrounding oncampus student residential facilities as defined in the Student Housing Solicitation policy.
View full policy (PDF, 156 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Green light: Acceptable Use Policy 12-13

Users shall not use electronic communications resources
in a manner that creates a hostile working environment (including sexual or other forms
of harassment), or that violates obscenity laws.
Users shall not use electronic communications resources for
unlawful activities or activities that violate University policy, including fraudulent, libelous,
slanderous, harassing, threatening, or other communications.
View full policy (PDF, 197 KB).

Policies on Bias and Hate Speech

Yellow light: University of California Campus Climate 12-13

Hate Speech: Hate speech is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display that may incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, gender, gender identity, ethnicity ....
If you experience or observe behavior that is inconsistent with our Principles of Community, please report it.

You may report in a variety of ways:

*Report anonymously or by name, via this Campus Climate page, by selecting the University of California campus where the incident occurred from the list to the right and clicking "Continue".
* Report anonymously to an appropriate campus office, based on the nature of the incident. Please refer to the website for the campus where the incident occurred.
* Report anonymously via your campus' Bias Reporting page, by selecting your campus from the Local Bias Reporting menu above. If your campus does not appear on this list, there is no local reporting form available. Please use this form, instead.
* File a report with your Campus Police Department, via the Campus Police menu above.
Expressions of Bias: A general communication not directed toward a particular individual, which disparages a group of people on the basis of some characteristic ....
View full policy (PDF, 124 KB).

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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in January 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.