A UNC study commission decided Thursday to finalize the pieces of a systemwide policy on hate crimes.
The UNC Study Commission to Review Student Codes of Conduct as They Relate to Hate Crimes voted to recommend the policy to UNC-system President Erskine Bowles.
If finalized the policy will be implemented in all UNC-system schools said Harold Martin senior vice president for academic affairs.
He said that because the issue deals with defining accepted behavioral conduct it is important to have consistency within the system.
Administrators at the meeting emphasized the importance of a systemwide standard as opposed to individual university rules" though the policy will still need to be implemented on individual campuses.
Administrators originally began developing a policy in response to a November incident at N.C. State University when racially motivated threats against President Barack Obama were painted in the Free Expression Tunnel on campus.
Martin said these slurs were protected under freedom of speech.
""We need to try and still permit free and open expression" although be mindful of how this expression can be hurtful" said Terri Houston, director of recruitment and multicultural programs in the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at UNC.
The protection of freedom of speech was explicitly emphasized in the committee's recommendation, said Judith Wegner, a professor at the UNC School of Law and chairwoman of the UNC-system Faculty Assembly.
We endorse the right of freedom of expression to the point that it does not create hostility"" said Archie Ervin, director of diversity and multicultural affairs at UNC.
Commission recommendations on hate crime:
University's value statement: All students shall be responsible for conducting themselves in a manner that helps to enhance an environment of learning in which the rights" dignity" worth and freedom of each member of the academic community are respected.""
Possible policy elements for consideration:
1. Statement of University's commitment to constitutionally guaranteed rights of free speech.
2. Prohibiting conduct characterized as a ""hate crime"" under federal or state laws" which are subject to change. Student codes should base illegal conduct on state statute" rather than on a prohibition of ""hate crimes"" per se.
3. Prohibiting infliction or threat of bodily harm.
4. Prohibiting behavior that meets legal definition of harassment leading to hostile environment.
5. A specific statement that implies a violation to the student conduct code when any campus or University policy is violated" or any federal state or local law is broken.
6. All student conduct codes should be modified to reflect the University value statement.
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