Intolerance and bigotry are antithetical to the values of
the university and unacceptable within the Rutgers community. One of the ways
the university seeks to effect this value is through a policy of
nondiscrimination, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race,
religion, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry,
disability, marital status, or veteran status in university programs. In order
to reinforce institutional goals of nondiscrimination, tolerance, and civility,
the following policy against verbal assault, defamation, and harassment is
intended to inform students that the verbal assault, defamation, or harassment
of others violates acceptable standards of conduct within the university. (This
policy is not intended to supersede the university's policy against sexual
harassment.)
Verbal assault, defamation, or harassment interferes with
the mission of the university. Each member of this community is expected to be
sufficiently tolerant of others so that all students are free to pursue their
goals in an open environment, able to participate in the free exchange of
ideas, and able to share equally in the benefits of our educational
opportunities. Beyond that, each member of the community is encouraged to do
all that she or he can to ensure that the university is fair, humane, and
responsible to all students.
A community establishes standards in order to be able to
fulfill its mission. The policy against verbal assault, defamation, and
harassment seeks to guarantee certain minimum standards. Free speech and the
open discussion of ideas are an integral part of the university community and
are fully encouraged, but acts that restrict the rights and opportunities of
others through violence, intimidation, the destruction of property, or verbal
assault, even if communicative in nature, are not protected speech and are to
be condemned.
