Towson 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.

Public or Private: Public
Federal Circuit: Fourth Circuit
Head of Institution: President Marcia Welsh
Towson University
President's Office
8000 York Road
Baltimore, MD 21252-0001
401-704-2356
presidentsoffice@towson.edu
Website: http://www.towson.edu

« Return to School Overview

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)

Code of Conduct: Definitions 10-11

The term "harassment" is defined as engaging in intentional conduct directed at a specific person or persons which seriously alarms or intimidates such persons and which serves no legitimate purpose. Such conduct may include: explicit or implicit threats, including gestures which place a person in reasonable fear of unwelcome physical contact, harm or death; following a person about in a public place or to or from his or her residence; making remarks in a public place to a specific person which are by common usage lewd, obscene, expose a person to public hatred or that can reasonably be expected to have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the person to whom the remark is addressed; or communicating anonymously by voice or graphic means or making a telephone call anonymously whether or not a conversation ensues.
View full policy (PDF, 123 KB).

Code of Conduct: Prohibited Conduct 10-11

Abuse of any person; this includes verbal, written, e-mail, or telephone abuse.
View full policy (PDF, 123 KB).

Code of Conduct: Prohibited Conduct 10-11

The following misconduct is subject to disciplinary action ... Inflicting mental or emotional distress upon a person through a course of conduct involving abuse or disparagement of that person's race, religion, sex, creed, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.
View full policy (PDF, 123 KB).

Policies Affecting Students: Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment 10-11

Examples of conduct that may be harassment:

Verbal: Offensive conversation, remarks, slurs, commentaries or epithets of a sexual nature; sexual jokes; sexual comments about appearance, clothing, body; comments concerning sexual relations.

Nonverbal: Leering, looking someone up and down, making sexual gestures.

Visual: Displaying sexually oriented or offensive objects, pictures, cartoons, posters or electronic programs & email ....
Unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other behavior of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when: ... Such conduct by an employee, by a student, or by a third party is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive to:
a. limit an individual's ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program or activity;
b. create a hostile or abusive educational environment; or
c. have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment at the university.
View full policy (PDF, 3568 KB).

Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility (Learn More)

Policies Affecting Students: Chalking Policy 10-11

Chalking must be non-offensive language. (No obscenities, profanity or hate speech.). The university reserves the right to remove anything offensive and bill the responsible individual or group.
View full policy (PDF, 52 KB).

Free Speech Zones

Policies Affecting Students: On-Campus Demonstration, Picketing and Protest Guidelines 10-11

The university seeks to maintain a safe environment for the free expression of ideas and ideals. Students, groups or student organizations do not need to reserve space; a notification that a demonstration or protest is going to occur is required.
View full policy (PDF, 51 KB).

Policies Affecting Students: Policy on Time, Place, and Manner 10-11

Students, Student Groups, faculty or staff planning Expressive
Activity must contact the following offices in advance of any
planned Expressive Activity: the Office of Campus Life (Students
and Student groups); the Provost’s Office (faculty); and the Office
of the Vice President for Administration and Finance (staff).
View full policy (PDF, 1664 KB).

Posting Policies

Policies Affecting Students: Policies for University Housing 10-11

Offensive items or language may not be displayed in or viewable from windows.
Offensive items or language shall not be displayed on a door (i.e., room suite, or quad) or be viewable from outside a room, quad or suite.
View full policy (PDF, 134 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Policies Affecting Students: Acceptable Use Policy 10-11

Unacceptable uses include, but are not limited to, the following: ... Producing chain letters or broadcasting messages to individuals or lists of users, or producing any communication which interferes with the work of others ... Using computing resources to threaten or harass others or transmitting obscene or fraudulent messages ....
View full policy (PDF, 1628 KB).

Policies on Bias and Hate Speech

Hate/Bias Reporting Instructions 10-11

A bias incident is an act of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, violence, or criminal offense committed against any person, group, or property that appears to be intentional and motivated by prejudice or bias.
View full policy (PDF, 45 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Code of Conduct: Student Rights and Responsibilities 10-11

Academic institutions exist for the transmission of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the general well-being of society. Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of these goals.
View full policy (PDF, 123 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 July 2011. 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.