Red Light School

Eastern Michigan University

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

Public or Private: Public
Federal Circuit: Sixth Circuit
Head of Institution: President Susan W Martin
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
202 Welch Hall
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-487-2211
Sue.Martin@emich.edu
Website: http://www.emich.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)

Green light: Student Judicial Services: Sexual Harassment & Other Prohibited Conduct Policy 12-13

Depending on the particular circumstances, sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to, the following: ... Unwelcome sexual advances, repeated propositions or requests for a sexual relationship to an individual who has previously indicated that such conduct is unwelcome, or sexual gestures, noises, remarks, jokes, questions, or comments about a person's sexuality or sexual experience. Such speech or conduct must be directed against another and either abusive or humiliating, or it must persist despite the objection of the person targeted by the speech or conduct. Such conduct between peers must be sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an educational or working environment that would reasonably be perceived as hostile or abusive. A single incident involving severe misconduct may rise to the level of harassment.
Sexual harassment includes any behavior of a sexual nature where: ... such conduct is intended to or would objectively be regarded by a reasonable person as unreasonably interfering with an individual's work, academic performance in a course or program, or participation in an activity, or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or educational environment.
View full policy (PDF, 132 KB).

Red light: Student Conduct Code: Sexual Misconduct/Sexual Harassment 12-13

Conduct of a sexual nature that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive campus, educational or working environment for another person. This includes unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, inappropriate sexual or gender-based activities, comments or gestures, or other forms of verbal or physical conduct or communications constituting sexual harassment.
View full policy (PDF, 618 KB).

Red light: Student Conduct Code: Harassment/Stalking 12-13

1. Conduct (not of a sexual nature) that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive campus,
educational or work environment for another person or group.
2. Conduct (not of a sexual nature) that threatens, intimidates, humiliates, or otherwise harms another person or group.
View full policy (PDF, 618 KB).

Posting Policies

Yellow light: Student Organization Handbook: Student Organization Poster/Flier/Table Tent Policy 12-13

All materials must bear the name of the sponsoring
recognized student organization, noting that EMU or
Eastern Michigan University may only be used at the
end of an organization’s name, not preceding it.
It is expected that all poster/fliers conform with
generally accepted standards of good taste.
View full policy (PDF, 29 KB).

Yellow light: Guide to Campus Living: Rooms and Roommates 12-13

Decorations should be of such a nature that they
would be a credit to the individual, the hall and the University. The appearance of the hall to the public -- from the outside -- depends on "window housekeeping." Anything visible through the window should be in good taste. Residence hall staff maintains the right to remove posters, signs, etc.,
from student room doors, windows and/or corridor
walls if they are deemed offensive.
View full policy (PDF, 1538 KB).

Yellow light: Guide to Campus Living: Solicitation and Posting 12-13

General information boards are located on the main floor of most halls. Any information that is to be posted in more than one
residence hall on staff boards must be approved by either the Director, Associate Director or Assistant Directors of Housing. The University will not approve any information that is
deemed to be racist, homophobic, sexist, indecent,
scandalous, illegal, inciting or in any way oppressive
in nature.
View full policy (PDF, 1664 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Yellow light: Student Conduct Code: Computer Misuse 12-13

Use of computing facilities or equipment to send obscene, harassing, threatening or abusive messages.
View full policy (PDF, 618 KB).

Yellow light: Student Organization Handbook: Appropriate Use of Communication Media 12-13

Eastern Michigan University has zero tolerance for the misuse of
any communications media - print or electronic, individually or mass distributed, if such use results in
communications that are harassing, racist or in any way threatening to other individuals on or off campus.
This type of behavior will be promptly investigated, and should perpetrators of such acts be identified as
students, they will face consequences under the terms of the Student Conduct Code, which governs student
behavior.
View full policy (PDF, 38 KB).

Policies on Bias and Hate Speech

Yellow light: Department of Public Safety: Reporting Hate Crimes 12-13

A bias incident or hate incident involves behaviors, though motivated by bias against a victim’s race, religion, ethnicity/national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, or disability, are not criminal offenses. Hateful speech or other disrespectful/discriminatory behavior may be motivated by bias, but are not illegal. They become crimes only when they directly incite perpetrators to commit violence against persons or property, or if they place a potential victim in reasonable fear of injury, or intimidate or harass a person with specific intent motivated solely by a person’s race, religion, ethnicity/national origin, sexual orientation, or gender.
View full policy (PDF, 50 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.