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Campus Life and Safety

Community Standards

For Summer 2020, the “University community” extends to the remote teaching and learning space, and to official and unofficial engagement between students and staff related to the class in  which they are enrolled. The same principles that apply to our academic and residential community standards carry over into the online environment. 

Behavior directed to a particular individual that compromises that individual’s safety or ability to function with the University setting is prohibited, and will be investigated by University officials. Students who violate community standards are subject to dismissal or expulsion.  Prohibited behaviors include:

  • Acts of violence or explicit threats of violence 

  • Abusive conduct (through any spoken, written, or visual medium) including bullying

  • Discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes as required by law (including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972).

  • Harassment that is so severe or pervasive that it has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s educational program participation, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.

  • Sexual misconduct, which encompasses a range of conduct, from sexual assault (a criminal act that the U.S. Department of Education defines as sexual harassment) to conduct such as unwanted touching or persistent unwelcome comments, emails, or pictures of an insulting or degrading sexual nature, which may constitute harassment, depending upon the specific circumstances and context in which the conduct occurs.

A person’s subjective belief that behavior is offensive, intimidating or hostile does not make that behavior harassment. The behavior must be objectively unreasonable. Expression occurring in an academic or educational context is considered as a special case and is broadly protected by academic freedom. Such expression will not constitute harassment unless (in addition to satisfying the above definitions) it is targeted at a specific person or persons, is abusive, and serves no bona fide academic purpose.

Community Standards & Principles of Free Expression

Civil behavior in a University Setting is essential.  At the University of Chicago, freedom of expression is vital to our shared goal of the pursuit of knowledge, as is the right of all members of the community to explore new ideas and learn from one another. To preserve an environment of spirited and open debate, we should all have the opportunity to contribute to intellectual exchanges and participate fully in the life of the University. This opportunity, and the expectation that students engage in civil behavior and communication, extends to the Summer Session online environment.  

The ideas of different members of the University community will frequently conflict, and we do not attempt to shield people from ideas that they may find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even offensive. Nor, as a general rule, does the University intervene to enforce social standards of civility. There are, however, some circumstances in which behavior so violates our community's standards that formal University intervention may be appropriate. The University may restrict expression that violates the law, that falsely defames a specific individual, that constitutes a genuine threat or harassment, that unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the University. In addition, the University may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner of expression to ensure that it does not disrupt the ordinary activities of the University.

Reports of concerning behavior or communication occurring in a Summer Session online environment (including online classes, discussions, virtual community events or private messaging among faculty, staff and students) should be reported to the Residential Director or Director of Academic Programs, and will be investigated by the Summer Session staff and/or other University disciplinary offices.

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Read about our policies in full here.