Yellow Light School

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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: Private
Federal Circuit: First Circuit
Head of Institution: President L. Rafael Reif
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room 3-208
77 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-253-0148
Website: http://www.mit.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)

Yellow light: Policy on Racist Behavior 12-13

Harassment or discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, whether subtle or blatant, is unacceptable at MIT. It will be addressed with quick and decisive action whenever it occurs. Racism and racist behavior interfere with an individual's growth and well-being in the academic and living environments at MIT.

The Institute is committed to the elimination of racism and to the thorough handling of any allegation of racist behavior. In such situations, it will be the Institute's aim to protect the rights of all individuals involved and to safeguard the welfare of everyone in the MIT community.
View full policy (PDF, 62 KB).

Yellow light: Mind and Hand Book: Policies and Procedures- Harassment 12-13

Harassment is any conduct, verbal or physical, on or off campus, that has the intent or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual or group's educational or work performance at MIT or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational, work, or living environment. ... Sexual harassment may take many forms. Sexual assault and requests for sexual favors that affect educational or employment decisions constitute sexual harassment. However, sexual harassment may also consist of unwanted physical contact, requests for sexual favors, visual displays of degrading sexual images, sexually suggestive conduct, or offensive remarks of a sexual nature.
View full policy (PDF, 109 KB).

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

Yellow light: Mind and Hand Book: Policies and Procedures- Freedom of Expression 12-13

Freedom of expression is essential to the mission of a university. So is freedom from unreasonable and disruptive offense. Members of this educational community are encouraged to avoid putting these essential elements of our university to a balancing test.
View full policy (PDF, 67 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Green light policy: Mission and Objectives 12-13

The Institute seeks through research and reflection to extend the boundaries of knowledge and the horizons of the human intellect. In so doing, it aims to create an atmosphere of intellectual excitement, a climate of inquiry and innovation in which each student develops a consuming interest in understanding for its own sake.
View full policy (PDF, 47 KB).

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