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.
