Brown University
A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. 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)
Office of Institutional Diversity: Discrimination/Harassment Policy 12-13
Unlawful harassment is harassment that refers to or is based upon the protected status of the person or persons being harassed. Unlawful harassment in the work and educational environment is created if conduct of another person is sufficiently serious that it interferes with an employee's ability to perform their job or denies or limits a student's ability to participate in or benefit from the University's programs. Factors to be considered in determining whether and the extent to which a hostile work or learning environment has been created include, but are not limited to, the frequency, severity and pervasiveness of the conduct, whether it is physically threatening, the degree to which the conduct interfered with an employee's work performance or a student's academic performance and/or full enjoyment of the academic/campus programs and services, the relationship between the alleged harasser and the subject or subjects of the harassment, the welcomeness or unwelcomeness of the conduct, etc. The severity and pervasiveness of the conduct is considered from both subjective and objective perspectives (the conduct is viewed as hostile and abusive by both a "reasonable person" and the person who is subjected to the conduct).
View full policy (PDF, 966 KB).
Office of Institutional Diversity: Sexual Harassment Policy 12-13
Examples of the kinds of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:
1. Unwelcome sexual propositions, invitations, solicitations, and flirtations. ...
3. Unwelcome verbal expressions of a sexual nature, including graphic sexual commentaries about a person's body, dress, appearance, or sexual activities; the unwelcome use of sexually degrading language, jokes or innuendoes; unwelcome suggestive or insulting sounds or whistles; obscene phone calls.
4. Sexually suggestive objects, pictures, videotapes, audio recordings, computer communications, or literature placed in the work or study area, that may embarrass or offend individuals.
Sexual harassment may involve the behavior of a person of either sex against a person of the opposite or same sex, and occurs when such behavior constitutes unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature where: ... Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s welfare, academic or work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, offensive education or work environment.
Important: Sexual Harassment need not be intentional. Under Brown's sexual harassment policies, the intent of the person who is alleged to have behaved improperly is not relevant to determining whether a violation of Brown's policy has occurred. The relevant determination is whether a reasonable person could have interpreted the alleged behavior to be sexual.
View full policy (PDF, 1156 KB).
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Harassment - Sexual or Racial 12-13
Racial harassment is generally defined as the subjection of an individual or group to abusive or threatening actions based on race. Brown regards all incidents of racial harassment, whether verbal, written or physical as violations of the University's Tenets of Community Behavior.
View full policy (PDF, 363 KB).
Brown University Health Services: Health Education - Sexual Harassment 12-13
Examples of sexual harassment include:
* Uninvited touching or hugging
* Requesting sexual favors for rewards related to school or work
* Suggestive jokes of a sexual nature
* Sexual pictures or displays
* Continuing unwelcome flirtation or propositions
* Obscene gestures or sounds
* Written notes of a sexual nature
Hostile environment harassment occurs when unwelcome sexually harassing conduct is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it affects a student's ability to participate in University activities or creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment. If a supervisor (or coworker or fellow student) makes sexual jokes, obscene gestures and/or posts sexual pictures that make people uncomfortable, this is called "hostile environment" sexual harassment.
View full policy (PDF, 264 KB).
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Standards of Student Conduct 12-13
Offenses: ... Subjecting another person or group to abusive, threatening, intimidating, or harassing actions, including, but not limited to, those based on race, religion, gender, disability, age, economic status, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
View full policy (PDF, 533 KB).
Internet Usage Policies
Computing & Information Services: Acceptable Use Examples 12-13
Other Inappropriate Activities ... You download, store, print and/or display materials that could be perceived by others as contributing to an intimidating, hostile, or sexually offensive working environment. ... You send out unauthorized and unsolicited email messages to other Brown community members.
View full policy (PDF, 160 KB).
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Computing Policies 12-13
Use appropriate standards of civility when using computing systems to communicate with other individuals. University guidelines prohibit harassing email, electronic chain mail, pyramid schemes (also illegal in Rhode Island), "spamming" (Any unwanted or unsolicited email, usually propaganda for scams, web sites, goods, and services).
View full policy (PDF, 363 KB).
Computing & Information Services: Acceptable Use Policy 12-13
Other prohibited activities include: ... Use of Brown's computing services and facilities for political purposes.
View full policy (PDF, 274 KB).
Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Office of Institutional Diversity: Discrimination/Harassment Policy 12-13
In an academic community the response to ideas believed to be distasteful or offensive should be other ideas and relevant evidence rather than administrative sanctions.
The faculty and Corporation, in 1966, adopted the following statement of principles regarding academic freedom and freedom of expression:
"Academic freedom is essential to the function of education and the pursuit of scholarship in universities. Therefore, Brown University, mindful of its historic commitment to scholarship and to the free exchange of ideas, affirms that faculty and students alike shall enjoy full freedom in their teaching, learning, and research. Brown University also affirms that faculty and students shall have freedom of religious belief, of speech, of press, of association and assembly, of political activity inside and outside the University, the right to petition authorities, public and university, to invite speakers of their choice to the campus and that students and faculty as such should not be required to take any oath not required of other citizens. The time, place and manner of exercising these rights on campus shall be subject to reasonable regulation only to prevent interference with the normal functions of the University."
View full policy (PDF, 966 KB).
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Protest and Demonstration Guidelines 12-13
The University must be a place where ideas are exchanged freely. By asserting their rights to protest, individuals cannot decide for the entire community which ideas will or will not receive free expression.
View full policy (PDF, 346 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.
