Red Light School

University of Notre Dame

A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more here.

Public or Private: Private
Federal Circuit: Seventh Circuit
Head of Institution: President Father John I Jenkins
University of Notre Dame
Office of the President
400C Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556
574-631-3903
Website: http://www.nd.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)

Yellow light: DuLac: General Standards of Conduct 12-13

Depending upon the circumstances, violations of these behavioral
standards will call into question a student’s continued full participation
in the University community: ... Abusive or harassing behavior, including unwelcome
communication. ... Willful damage to the reputation or psychological well-being
of another. ... Actions which seemingly affect only the individual(s)
involved but which may have a negative or disruptive
impact on the University community and/or concern a
student’s personal and academic growth.
View full policy (PDF, 55 KB).

Green light: Office of Institutional Equity: Discriminatory Harassment Policy 12-13

Conduct as described in A., above, constitutes discriminatory
harassment, if, in addition, it is accompanied by intentionally
demeaning expressions concerning the race, gender, religion,
age, sexual orientation, national origin or disability of the
victim(s).
Harassment is any physical conduct that intentionally inflicts injury on the person or property of another, or any intentional threat of such conduct; any hostile, intentional, and persistent badgering, addressed directly at another, or group of others, that is intended to intimidate its victim(s) from any University activity; or any verbal attack, intended to provoke the victim to immediate physical retaliation.
View full policy (PDF, 42 KB).

Yellow light: DuLac: Sexual Harassment Policy and Grievance Procedures 12-13

The determination of what constitutes sexual harassment will vary with the particular circumstances, but may be described generally as: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: ... Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive University environment.
Students who believe they are victims of sexual harassment by another student may have the option of proceeding informally or formally. The student may find informal resolution particularly appropriate if the conduct is isolated and of the following nature: sexual innuendo; display or distribution of drawings, pictures or other materials with a sexual content; sexual or "dirty" jokes; or comments with sexual content. Please note that the formal report process is available for harassment of any nature, and that these examples are not intended to discourage use of the formal report process.
View full policy (PDF, 111 KB).

Free Speech Zones

Yellow light: DuLac: Student Activities Policies- Demonstrations 12-13

All demonstrations must be registered in writing with the Associate Vice President for Campus Safety ....
View full policy (PDF, 344 KB).

Posting Policies

Yellow light: DuLac: Student Activities Policies- Advertising, Posters and Announcement of Activities 12-13

All signs and posters placed on any University bulletin boards ... must reflect good taste.
View full policy (PDF, 344 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Red light: Responsible Use of Information Technologies at Notre Dame 12-13

Never use University resources to post, view, print, store, or send obscene,
pornographic, sexually explicit, or offensive material, except for officially approved,
legitimate academic or University purposes.
View full policy (PDF, 232 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Green light policy: DuLac: University Mission Statement 12-13

[T]he University insists upon academic freedom
which makes open discussion and inquiry possible.
As a Catholic university one of its distinctive
goals is to provide a forum where through free inquiry and open discussion the various lines of Catholic thought may intersect with all
the forms of knowledge found in the arts, sciences, professions, and every other area of human scholarship and creativity.
View full policy (PDF, 86 KB).

Green light policy: DuLac: Student Activities Policies- Open Speaker Policy 12-13

Notre Dame students and student organizations are free to examine
and to discuss all questions of interest to them and to express
opinions publicly and privately.
View full policy (PDF, 344 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 November 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.