WHAT WE DO
- Refer those who report incidents to appropriate campus offices that can effectively respond through investigation, educational coaching, or other resources, depending on the nature of the incident
- Refer students, faculty, and staff to support resources
- Log all reported incidents and track for trends
- Notify campus leaders of ongoing bias incidents and trends
WHAT WE DON’T DO
- Conduct investigations
- Take disciplinary action
- Impinge on free speech rights and academic freedom
FREE SPEECH AND EXPRESSION
Freedom of speech is the right of a person to articulate opinions and ideas without interference or retaliation from the government. The term “speech” constitutes expression that includes far more than just words, but also what a person wears, reads, performs, protests and more.
In the United States, freedom of speech is strongly protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as well as many state and federal laws. The United States’ free speech protections are among the strongest of any democracy; the First Amendment protects even speech that many would see as offensive, hateful or harassing.
We recognize that biased and hateful expression causes harm and fractures in our campus community that must be addressed. The RESPECT Team, along with other campus partners, responds to bias incidents in ways that support those impacted and promote education and dialogue.
The RESPECT Team is committed to upholding free speech and expression on campus and does not have an investigative or disciplinary role in responding to any bias reports.
Visit the Free Speech Website for more information.
The Regulation for Academic Freedom and Responsibility can be found here.