Such conduct is prohibited when it affects the environment by its pervasiveness, continuousness, or severity. Because members of working, learning, or living environment may be unable to shield themselves form offensive communications, the use of epithets or other actions or forms of expression that harass in purpose or effect on the basis of gender or sexual orientation are prohibited even when they are not individually directed, if they create an offensive environment as described above. However, when the environment is the classroom or any space traditionally decimated to the testing of ideas, no statement opinion by any instructor or student, whether isolated or part of a pattern of such statements or opinions, is prohibited by this policy, provided that such expressions have a bona fide relationship to the purposes or content of the course or other academic activity in progress. The principles involved here continues to apply to race, color, religion, or national origin. Call the Affirmative Action Office at 529-7157.
All discussions are confidential.