{"id":5890,"date":"2026-02-17T08:30:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T15:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/?p=5890"},"modified":"2026-02-17T08:31:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T15:31:33","slug":"freedom-of-expression-campus-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/2026\/02\/17\/freedom-of-expression-campus-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Freedom of Expression Campus Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"postie-post\">\n<div>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"nl-container\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row row-1\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row-content stack\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff;border-radius:0;color:#000;width:640px;margin:0 auto\" width=\"640\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"column column-1\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;font-weight:400;text-align:left;background-color:#fff;vertical-align:top\" width=\"100%\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"image_block block-1\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\" style=\"width:100%\">\n<div align=\"center\" class=\"alignment\">\n<div style=\"max-width:640px\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" height=\"auto\" src=\"https:\/\/d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net\/20260216\/18\/1f\/c8\/63\/c539413a3e12f8b408b93199.png\" style=\"display:block;height:auto;border:0;width:100%\" title=\"\" width=\"640\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row row-2\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff;background-size:auto\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row-content stack\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff;background-size:auto;color:#000;width:640px;margin:0 auto\" width=\"640\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"column column-1\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;font-weight:400;text-align:left;background-color:#fff;padding-bottom:5px;padding-top:20px;vertical-align:top\" width=\"100%\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"heading_block block-1\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\">\n<h1 style=\"margin:0;color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:28px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;mso-line-height-alt:42px\">  <span class=\"tinyMce-placeholder\" style=\"word-break: break-word;\">Dear Campus Community,<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row row-3\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row-content stack\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff;color:#000;width:640px;margin:0 auto\" width=\"640\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"column column-1\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;font-weight:400;text-align:left;background-color:#fff;padding-bottom:5px;padding-top:5px;vertical-align:top\" width=\"100%\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"paragraph_block block-1\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\">\n<div style=\"color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;mso-line-height-alt:24px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\">The Freedom of Expression (FOE) Policy Group would like to thank our students and colleagues for their thoughtful engagement throughout the Freedom of Expression Policy update process. We are grateful to everyone who participated   in the community dialogues and to those who shared feedback through surveys during spring and fall 2025. Your perspectives and questions were essential in shaping this work.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\">Here is the final <a href=\"https:\/\/t.e2ma.net\/click\/zoj96j\/nr5ib5j\/7mjadw\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #4764af;\" target=\"_blank\">  Freedom of Expression Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0\">Throughout this process, we received questions from community members about both the policy itself and the approach used to develop it. In response to these requests for clarification, below is a timeline outlining the entire revision process   and answers to the common questions that arose when collecting feedback from faculty, staff, and students.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"list_block block-2\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word;color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;mso-line-height-alt:24px\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\" style=\"padding-left:30px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:10px\">\n<div style=\"margin-left:-20px\">\n<ul start=\"1\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:revert\">\n<li style=\"Margin:0\"><strong>December 2023 | Group Convened:<\/strong> A dedicated team was formed to initiate and manage the policy update. The FOE group\u2019s work was built on work that occurred in 2022.<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\"><strong>Spring-Fall 2024 | Research Phase:<\/strong> The FOE group researched effective practices, policy examples, and relevant legal requirements.<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\"><strong>Spring 2025 | Community Dialogues and Feedback:<\/strong> Initial community dialogues and a feedback survey were conducted to gather broad input.<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\"><strong>Summer 2025 | Draft Policy:<\/strong> A draft policy was created based on the gathered community input.<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\"><strong>September 2025 | Community Dialogues and Feedback:<\/strong> A second round of community dialogues and feedback surveys were used to gather specific input on the draft.<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\"><strong>November-December 2025 | Final Approval:<\/strong> The policy received final approval following a 30-day comment period.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"paragraph_block block-3\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\">\n<div style=\"color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;mso-line-height-alt:24px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\">We catalogued the questions we received and are sharing our responses below:<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\"><strong>What is the difference between Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression?<br \/>  <\/strong>Academic Freedom is the right to pursue knowledge through teaching, research, scholarship, scientific investigation, creative expression, and the open exchange of ideas\u2014without censorship or retaliation\u2014regarding matters relevant to the subject of   that intellectual or scholarly pursuit.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\">In contrast, freedom of expression is the right to use words, symbols, sounds, movements or engage in other actions to share thoughts, emotions, experiences, and beliefs; discuss ideas; participate in the life of a community;   and engage in self-realization. This freedom includes the ability and opportunity to be exposed to, and respond to, the thoughts, emotions, experiences, and beliefs of others.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0\"><strong>Why does the policy focus on principles rather than providing a comprehensive list of behaviors that are permitted or prohibited?<br \/>  <\/strong>CC\u2019s FOE policy emphasizes that regulation is the <strong><em>exception<\/em><\/strong><em>  <\/em>and that restrictions should be interpreted narrowly and tailored to prevent harm. Within the policy, there are categories of prohibited or regulated behavior, though we avoided an exhaustive list to better respond to the variety of anticipated or unanticipated   scenarios our community might face. Regulated behaviors include those that:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"list_block block-4\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word;color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;mso-line-height-alt:24px\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\" style=\"padding-left:30px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:10px\">\n<div style=\"margin-left:-20px\">\n<ul start=\"1\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:revert\">\n<li style=\"Margin:0\">Involve or threaten violence or property damage<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\">Constitute harassment, discrimination, or hazing<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\">Violate the law or CC policies<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\">Significantly disrupt teaching, learning, research, or campus operations<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\">Inhibit authorized access to College buildings or facilities<\/li>\n<li style=\"Margin:0\">Include specific interferences like persistent heckling or loud sounds that inhibit the expression of others<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row row-4\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row-content stack\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff;color:#000;width:640px;margin:0 auto\" width=\"640\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"column column-1\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;font-weight:400;text-align:left;background-color:#fff;padding-bottom:5px;padding-top:5px;vertical-align:top\" width=\"100%\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"paragraph_block block-1\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\" style=\"padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:5px\">\n<div style=\"color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;mso-line-height-alt:24px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\">The policy includes principles in response to community feedback we received during listening sessions, requesting that the policy expressly articulate the principles and philosophy that underlie it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\"><strong>Why does the policy not include specific sanctions for different types of violations?<br \/>  <\/strong>CC\u2019s FOE policy does not list specific sanctions because it defers to existing policies. Violations of this policy are handled according to the procedures and sanctions already established in the Student Community Standards (Pathfinder), the Staff   Handbook, or the Faculty Handbook, depending on the individual&#8217;s role at the College.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\"><strong>What if the government has a stricter interpretation of the laws than our policy?<br \/>  <\/strong>All expressive activities must comply with legal requirements. Freedom of expression should be exercised in compliance with applicable laws and college policies. CC implements regulations to meet our legal obligations while attempting to maximize freedom   of expression to the extent it does not inhibit the College&#8217;s mission.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;margin-bottom:16px\">Thank you again for your engagement. Your perspectives and questions were essential in shaping this work.<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0\">Sincerely,<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"heading_block block-2\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\" style=\"padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px;padding-top:10px;text-align:center;width:100%\">\n<h2 style=\"margin:0;color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Georgia,Times,'Times New Roman',serif;font-size:22px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;mso-line-height-alt:33px\">  Freedom of Expression Policy Group<\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"paragraph_block block-3\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\" style=\"padding-bottom:10px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:10px\">\n<div style=\"color:#000;direction:ltr;font-family:Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;mso-line-height-alt:24px\">\n<p style=\"margin:0\"><em>Ty Nagamatsu, Ombuds (co-lead)<\/em><br \/>  <em>Lacy Karpilo, VP of Student Life and Dean of Students (co-lead)<\/em><br \/>  <em>Cathy Buckley, Director of Campus Safety<\/em><br \/>  <em>Chelsea Walter, Director, Office of Culturally &amp; Linguistically Diverse Education &amp; Lecturer<\/em><br \/>  <em>David Jensen, AVP Civil Rights &amp; Title IX<\/em><br \/>  <em>Doug Edlin, Professor of Political Science, and McHugh Professor of American Institutions &amp; Leadership<\/em><br \/>  <em>Edwin Hamada, AVP Student Life<\/em><br \/>  <em>Josh Isringhausen, Assistant Director for Civil Rights and Interim Title IX Coordinator<\/em><br \/>  <em>Marion Hourdequin, Professor and Assistant Dean of the Faculty, ACM-Mellon Leadership Fellow<\/em><br \/>  <em>Rosalie Rodriguez, CDO, Institutional Equity &amp; Belonging<\/em><br \/>  <em>Ryan Simmons, VP for Human Resources<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row row-5\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"row-content stack\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;background-color:#fff;color:#000;width:640px;margin:0 auto\" width=\"640\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"column column-1\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;font-weight:400;text-align:left;background-color:#fff;vertical-align:top\" width=\"100%\">\n<table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"10\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"text_block block-1\" role=\"presentation\" style=\"mso-table-lspace:0;mso-table-rspace:0;word-break:break-word\" width=\"100%\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"pad\">\n<div style=\"font-family:Arial,sans-serif\">\n<div class=\"\" style=\"font-size:12px;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;mso-line-height-alt:12px;color:#9d9e9f;line-height:1\">\n<p style=\"margin:0;font-size:10px;mso-line-height-alt:10px\"><span style=\"word-break: break-word; font-size: 10px;\"><\/span><br \/>  <span style=\"word-break: break-word; font-size: 10px;\">You are receiving this email because you are a member of the Colorado College community. Thank you for the important work you do each day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;font-size:10px;mso-line-height-alt:10px\"><span style=\"word-break: break-word; font-size: 10px;\">&nbsp;<\/span><br \/>  <span style=\"word-break: break-word; font-size: 10px;\">View this email <a href=\"https:\/\/t.e2ma.net\/message\/zoj96j\/nr5ib5j\" style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #4764af;\">  online<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin:0;font-size:10px;mso-line-height-alt:10px\"><span style=\"word-break: break-word; font-size: 10px;\">14 E. Cache La Poudre St. | Colorado Springs, CO 80903 US<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>  <!-- End --><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/t.e2ma.net\/track\/zoj96j\/nr5ib5j\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\">  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dear Campus Community, The Freedom of Expression (FOE) Policy Group would like to thank our students and colleagues for their thoughtful engagement throughout the Freedom of Expression Policy update process. We are grateful to everyone who participated in the community dialogues and to those who shared feedback through surveys during spring and fall 2025. Your &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/2026\/02\/17\/freedom-of-expression-campus-update\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Freedom of Expression Campus Update&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1808,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-email","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1808"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5890"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5890\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/emailarchive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}