Use the following links as a guide to Wellesley's policy on hateful incidents:

General Policy

Wellesley College is committed to be an intellectual and residential community in which all members can participate fully and equally, in an atmosphere free from harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. We believe that a central foundation of a Wellesley education is the creation of a community that values and appreciates cultural diversity. However, the College is committed to fostering an environment of free speech and expression that respects the speech rights of those who hold hateful or repugnant views in matters of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, disability or sexual preference.

The college's commitment to freedom of expression in a diverse community requires it to refrain from regulating speech or expression, no matter how painful that speech or expression many be, s o long as the speaker or actor refrains from violence, intimidation, or harassment against members of the College community or guests of the College. The content of hateful expression is protected speech in accordance with the principles of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Nevertheless, Wellesley College repudiates acts motivated by hate or bigotry which, by their nature, diminish the educational priorities of this community.

Defining "hateful incident"

Wellesley College recognizes that hateful incidents include the following

• actions by an individual that make the College atmosphere intimidating, threatening, or hostile to other individuals;
• abusive or harassing behavior, verbal or physical, that is used to demean intimidate, threaten, or injure another because of his or her personal characteristics or beliefs. Examples of personal characteristics or beliefs include, but are not limited to matters of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion and disability;
• expressions and/or actions of hatred that destroy or deface the property of other members of the College community, or when an individual wrongfully uses the property rights of a member of the community.

In addition to being a violation of College policy, racial harassment is a form of discrimination and is a violation of Federal and State law. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, has interpreted Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as prohibiting racial and ethnic harassment. Similarly, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission interprets Title VII as prohibiting racial and ethnic harassment. The Massachusetts Law Against Discrimination, c. 151B, also prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry or sex.

What to do if you are involved in an alleged hateful incident

If you are involved in an alleged hateful incident, either as a complainant (the person who is bringing the charge) or as a respondent (the person against whom a charge is brought), the College is committed to respond sensitively and promptly. For various reasons, you may be reluctant to report an incident of hate or hate crime. However, doing so is a service to yourself and the community.

The Office of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity monitors all incidents of alleged harassment. Any member of the College community who wishes to file a complaint of harassing and/or discriminatory behavior may do so by contacting the Director of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity, Eloise McGaw.

Because hateful incidents and hate crimes violate deeply held community standards, the College will take a number of actions in response to them. Wellesley College's regulations concerning expressions of hatred are as follow.

1. In the event an anonymous hateful incident takes place, the complainant should immediately contact a representative from either the Office of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity, the Office of the Dean of Students, Campus Police, the Class Deans, the Heads of House, the Residential Staff Office, the Cultural Advising Network, the Committee Against Racism and Discrimination, and/or any other appropriate parties. This individual or these individuals should then contact the Director of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity immediately. The Director of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity, after consultation with the complainant, will inform the College community about the fact that such a hateful incident has occurred on campus by posting a notice on Public Bulletin. Such notice will be limited to a brief description of the act, the time and location of the event, the fact that the act is being investigated by the College, and when appropriate, by the relevant law enforcement agencies.
2. In the event of an expression or act of hatred in which the perpetrator of the act is known the target of abuse can file a written complaint with the Office of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity in accordance with the College's existing Grievance Procedures and/or file a complaint with Campus Police. The Office of Human Resources & Equal Opportunity monitors all incidents of alleged harassment and/or discrimination dealing with hateful acts. The complaint is then referred to the Grievance Committee for consideration. When both parties are students, cases of alleged discrimination or harassment dealing with hateful acts are normally heard by the General Judiciary. If they so desire, however, students may utilize the negotiated procedures set forth in our Grievance Procedures.
3. The Grievance Committee will make a finding as to whether the act or acts alleged in the complaint occurred, and whether such an act or acts violate the College's policy. A violation of the Hateful Incident Policy shall be found by the Committee only when there is a preponderance of the evidence that the accused committed the hateful act in violation of College policy. If both parties are students, cases of alleged discrimination or harassment are normally heard by the General Judiciary.
   

Punishment

For violations of College-wide rules of conduct, members of the community are subject to several kinds of penalties. The applicability and exact nature of each penalty vary for faculty, students, staff, and other employees; but in general the penalties, in ascending order of severity are :

• Warning

A formal admonition that does not become part of an individual's permanent record, but that may be taken into account in judging the seriousness of any future action.

• Fine/Compensation

In the case of a student, fine, reimbursement for damages, forfeiture of use of College facility. The reimbursement for damages may take the form of a monetary payment or appropriate service to repair or otherwise compensate for damages.

• Relocation/Loss of position

In the case of a student, removal from office, position of responsibility or removal from a residence hall. Relocation within or removal from a residence hall may be the appropriate course of action in response to the infraction, particularly in instances involving antisocial behavior having a serious impact on the residential community, removal from College housing or relocation within College housing may be added to disciplinary probation for a portion of or duration of the probationary period. In the case of a first year student or sophomore, this penalty will be imposed only after consultation with the Director of Residence and the Head of House.

• Disciplinary Probation

  A more serious admonition assigned for a definite amount of time, applicable to faculty, students, staff, and other employees. It implies that any future violation, of whatever kind, during that time, may be grounds for suspension, required withdrawal, or in especially serious cases, for expulsion, from the College. In the case of a student, disciplinary probation appears on an individual's permanent record at the College (but not on the transcript) and may be disclosed by the Office of the Dean of Students in response to requests for which the student has given permission.

• Suspension

The rights and privileges of being a student at Wellesley College are suspended for a specified period of time. The individual may not participate in academic activities and is required to leave the campus.

• Required Withdrawal

Removal from membership in, or employment by, the College for at least the period of time specified by the suspension, with the suspension to c continue until certain conditions, stipulated by the appropriate body applying its sanction, have been fulfilled. These conditions may include restitution, formal apology, or counseling. The student may apply for readmission in the future.

• Expulsion

The individual is no longer a student or employee at Wellesley College and must leave the campus. The student is not eligible for readmission.

In the event of a "hate crime" as defined by Massachusetts law, the College reserves the right to prosecute to the full extent of the law and/or to report the matter to the appropriate authorities.

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