Cut H8: Terminology

Relevant Excerpt

Hostile Climate

is defined as a focus on race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression of another person or group which is severe enough to affect an individual’s or a group’s campus or academic life.

Hate Speech

is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display that may incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

Harassment

as a form of discrimination is defined as verbal or physical conduct that is directed at an individual or group because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression when such conduct is severe enough to affect campus or academic life or create a hostile academic or work environment.

Harassment can also consist of nonverbal conduct, such as hazing, practical jokes, damage to property, and physical assault or attempted physical assault.

Verbal Harassment

means hostile or offensive speech, oral, written, or symbolic, that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent to create an objectively hostile environment that interferes with or diminishes the victim’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the University and personally describes or is personally directed to one or more specific individuals.

No person will make, distribute, or display on the campus any statement that constitutes verbal harassment of any other person. This section applies to all speech on the campus, including speech that is part of teaching, research, or other official functions of the University.