Smith College
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: Sexual Harassment Policy 12-13
[T]he following are some examples of conduct that may constitute sexual harassment depending upon the totality of the circumstances, including the severity of the conduct and its pervasiveness: ... Unwelcome sexual epithets, sexual jokes, written or oral references to sexual conduct, gossip regarding ones sex life; Unwelcome comment about an individual's sexual activity; Displaying sexually suggestive objects, pictures, or cartoons; ... Unwelcome inquiries into another's sexual experiences....
While this policy sets forth the College’s goal of promoting a work and educational environment that
is free from harassment, the policy is not designed or intended to limit the College’s authority to
discipline or take remedial action for conduct that the College deems inappropriate or unacceptable,
regardless of whether that conduct satisfies the legal definition of harassment.
In Massachusetts, the legal definition of sexual harassment is as follows: "sexual harassment" means sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual natures when: ... such advances, requests or conduct have the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work or educational performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, humiliating or sexually offensive work or educational environment.
View full policy (PDF, 175 KB).
Student Handbook: Student Conduct & Social Responsibility- Conduct that is Offensive 12-13
Intentional conduct that is offensive, not respectful, voluntary and understood to be behavior of a kind which targets specific individuals because of race, sex, color, religious creed, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation. When sanctioning, the offensiveness should be measured by its gravity, whether it is intended to be offensive and not respectful, whether it is repeated even after the student engaging in the behavior has been clearly told that it is offensive to another, and by the effect the behavior has on the community and the student or students to whom it is directed.
View full policy (PDF, 265 KB).
Student Handbook: Student Conduct & Social Responsibility- Conduct that Threatens or Endangers a Person 12-13
Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion and other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person or which unreasonably interferes with, impedes or harasses other students in the pursuit of their education.
View full policy (PDF, 265 KB).
Posting Policies
Student Handbook: Social Events- Advertising of Student Social Events 12-13
6. Smith College prohibits promotion and/or marketing of alcoholic beverages on campus and social events that encourage drinking or drunkenness as themes. The advertisement of such events in not permitted.
7. Advertisements with language or illustrations that are sexually explicit are not permitted.
View full policy (PDF, 118 KB).
Internet Usage Policies
Student Handbook: Smith College Technology Policies- Acceptable Use of Computer Resources 12-13
Actions normally prohibited by law and/or this Acceptable Use Policy include but are not limited to:
...
Smith College does not approve of the use of images or text which are abusive, profane,
obscene in e-mail or on web pages.
View full policy (PDF, 180 KB).
Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Student Handbook: Policies Concerning Freedom of Expression and Dissent 12-13
Any person at Smith College is free to express opinions and support causes by orderly means that do not disrupt the regular and essential operation of the institution. To this end, all members of the Smith community are obligated to provide, protect and promote the free exchange of ideas in every form on the Smith College campus.
View full policy (PDF, 177 KB).
Student Handbook: Statement of Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression 12-13
Academic freedom and, more generally, freedom of expression are of paramount value in an academic community. Among the central purposes of such a community are acquisition and transmission of knowledge, cultivation of the creative and critical faculties of the human intellect, expression of ideas and emotions through the arts, and development of aesthetic sensitivity and appreciation. Academic freedom and freedom of expression are essential to the fullest realization of these purposes, and therefore Smith College must preserve and protect those freedoms. It must do so even when the ideas and values expressed are believed, by some or even many, to be inimical to humane society.
Freedom of speech and expression is the right both of members of the Smith College community and of invited guests. Once members of the Smith community extend an invitation, others may not abridge a speaker’s freedom of expression because they dislike or oppose the speaker, find her or his ideas noxious or perceive the speaker to be associated with policies or practices believed to be erroneous or even evil.
View full policy (PDF, 127 KB).
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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in February 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.
