A community can only function if all of its members feel safe, heard, and valued. Throughout the last year, Interim President Manya Whitaker and Cabinet have received feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents on a number of topics — including free expression, conduct, discrimination and harassment, and political activity. We listened, and will continue to listen, to the diverse perspectives held across our campus community.

While this page is not all-encompassing, the Cabinet will keep it updated with new developments throughout the fall 2024 semester. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and families can visit this page regularly to learn more about how CC is working to foster a healthy and safe environment for dialogue and understanding.

FAQs

What is CC’s Freedom of Expression policy?

CC's current Freedom of Expression policy can be found here. Colorado College encourages its members to be engaged citizens of their community and the nation, which may include participation in protests and demonstrations. The policy does not protect speech or behavior that violates the law, defames an individual, is physically threatening, or discriminates against, unlawfully harasses, or retaliates against others simply because of that person’s protected status or because of that group’s message or content of communication. The exercise of these rights should not disrupt the normal business or operations of the College or damage property. Individuals who violate these policies face consequences via our conduct process.

This fall, Dean of Students Lacy Karpilo, in partnership with College Diversity Officer Rosalie Rodriguez, Ombuds Ty Nagamatsu, and the Office for Civil Rights & Title IX, is hosting a series of educational sessions to help students understand their rights and responsibilities as it relates to freedom of expression. These sessions will offer context and clarity as to why certain guidelines exist and contextualize how other policies intersect with the Freedom of Expression policy.

Thursday, Sept. 5, 1:30-3 p.m. (past)
Thursday, Oct. 3, 1:30-3 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 19, 1:30-3 p.m.

Note, the above sessions are for students to understand CC's current Freedom of Expression Policy. Meanwhile, since December 2023, a team of faculty and staff have been working to clarify and add detail to the Freedom of Expression policy. We expect that updated policy to be in effect by the spring semester.

Students, staff, and faculty will hear more about the updated policy and be able to share feedback via informal listening sessions this fall, before the policy moves to the formal, required 30-day comment period.

Importantly, the basics of CC’s Freedom of Expression policy are not changing. Rather, the updates are meant to clarify time, place, and manner restrictions, and provide shared definitions of terms such as “disruption of the learning environment” and “normal business or operations of the college.” The working group has engaged in research and careful discussion about application of the policy to various campus constituents, defining unclear or subjective terminology, aligning with updated civil rights guidance, and consideration of the many ‘what if’ scenarios, and the updated policy will reflect these details.

What is the status of the student conduct process and the working group that was formed over the summer?

Based on feedback from our community, a working group of students, faculty, and staff met during the summer of 2024 to review and add clarity to student conduct processes and procedures. This working group was tasked with ensuring cross-divisional alignment, consistency of approach, and effective communication to impacted constituent groups. The clarified student conduct procedures are now published at this link.

What is the status of the Jewish Life Coordinator position?

Colorado College’s new Coordinators for Jewish Life, Ruthie Markwardt (Class of 2014) and Barak Ben-Amots (MAT Class of 2017), started in September 2024. Ruthie and Barak will support and foster Jewish community engagement on campus through cultural, religious, and community programming, and through collaboration with student groups. They will provide pastoral care, creating inclusive spaces for Jewish students to explore their identity, and facilitate interfaith dialogue. Additionally, Ruthie and Barak will collaborate with campus organizations to promote diversity and enhance the overall campus experience for Jewish students.

What is the status of divestment conversations after the June Board of Trustees retreat? Is divestment still on the table?

Jeff Keller '91, P'23, Chair of the Colorado College Board of Trustees, and John Troubh '79, Chair of the Investment Committee of the Board, sent a message to the CC community on Tuesday, Oct. 15, sharing the outcome of divestment requests from students and faculty related to war and conflict in the Middle East. The Board announced that the college will not divest, nor change its approach to divesting within CC’s Investment Policy, at this time. Read the full message from the Board of Trustees here.

How and when are faculty members permitted to discuss political issues in the classroom? What activities are and are not protected by academic freedom?

Colorado College supports academic freedom. Free and open inquiry is core to the academic mission because an academic environment is necessarily a place where strong arguments, independent analyses, and divergent perspectives may be freely expressed. This includes topics that relate to political matters locally, nationally, and globally. Institutions of higher learning should be committed to the unrestricted search for and generation of new knowledge. This value is stated in the article on Academic Freedom in the College’s Bylaws, expanded in the Faculty Handbook, and affirmed in the Staff Handbook.

At the same time, the IRS is unambiguous about the fact that all 501(c)(3) organizations are prohibited from participating in political campaign–related activity. As a nonprofit organization, CC is therefore prohibited from certain partisan activities regarding political campaigns, candidates for political office, and elections or referendums involving issues or amendments. All college employees must avoid engaging in partisan political activities while representing the college, using college resources for such purposes, or creating the impression that the college endorses specific political views.

Are college employees allowed to engage in partisan political activities at work?

While staff and faculty, in their individual capacities, are free to participate or not, as they see fit, in discourse and advocacy concerning matters of political, public policy or civic interest, such activities must not interfere with the fulfillment of their responsibilities to the College or be conducted using College resources. Faculty and staff who wish to participate in partisan political activities must do so on their own time or outside the course of their regular work and responsibilities for the College, and with their own resources. College employees may not perform tasks related to political activities during work hours. Employees may not be asked to perform tasks related to partisan political activities.

When expressing their personal views concerning current political and public policy issues, faculty and staff must take special care to make it clear that they are speaking only for themselves and not for the College. In such cases, faculty and staff may state their affiliation with Colorado College but must make clear that their affiliation is listed for identification purposes only, and must avoid creating the impression of College support or endorsement for their views or activities, such as by stating that their “comments are entirely personal and do not, and are not intended to, reflect or represent the views of the institution.”

Does CC allow encampments? Has anything about our approach to encampments changed since the spring?

As noted in CC’s Freedom of Expression policy, all outdoor camping and/or use of temporary structures (such as tents) on campus must be approved by the Office of Student Life at least 72 hours in advance. Demonstrations may not obstruct entrances or exits to buildings; impede normal college operations or business; deface or damage property; or impede traffic or passersby.

How does the college manage protests and enforce policy violations?

When determining how to respond to any demonstration, our number one focus is on the safety and well-being of our campus community. We are focused on preventing escalation whenever possible.

Discrimination, harassment, and physical threats will not be tolerated, and individuals who violate these policies will be held accountable through our conduct procedures. Because our campus is private property, the college may also deny access to campus to any external community member who is not affiliated with Colorado College.

What constitutes discrimination or harassment?

We do not tolerate acts of violence, antisemitism, or any other form of discrimination at Colorado College. As outlined in CC’s Interim Nondiscrimination and Anti-Harassment policy:

• Discrimination means treating a person (or group) unfavorably or differently because of that person’s (or group’s) race, creed, color, caste, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or gender expression, perceived gender, sexual preference and sexual orientation), marital status, disability, veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local law.
• Harassment means verbal or physical conduct that is unwelcome and so severe or pervasive as to create a work or educational environment under both an objective (e.g., a reasonable person’s view) and subjective (e.g., the subject of the alleged conduct’s view) standard that it has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a person’s (or group’s) academic or work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational or working environment, otherwise known as a “hostile environment”. Harassment may be a form of discrimination when it targets a person (or group of persons) on the basis of that person’s (or group’s) race, creed, color, caste, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or gender expression, perceived gender, sexual preference and sexual orientation), marital status, disability, veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local law.

How can I report discrimination or harassment?

Anyone can report harassment, discrimination, abuse, violence, or threats to personal safety — whether they are directly targeted or a witness to the incident — through several confidential reporting options at CC. These include Campus Safety, anonymous reporting through the Office for Civil Rights & Title IX and Speak Up Colorado College, and confidential resources such as the CARE Team (care and concern reporting). All reports are thoroughly investigated. We communicate and educate students about these resources throughout the year, and especially during times of crisis. In addition, all employees of CC, except for confidential resources, are mandated reporters.

Outside of formal reporting, college staff — including Chaplain Kate Holbrook, Ombuds Ty Nagamatsu, the Office of Student Life, the Counseling Center, and the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX — are available to meet with individual students and student organizations to hear first-hand experiences and offer support.

When does CC partner with or call the Colorado Springs Police Department?

Colorado College does not call the police or request intervention from law enforcement unless there is an immediate threat to the health and safety of the campus community. Colorado College Campus Safety staff are unarmed, do not arrest students, and are trained to de-escalate whenever possible.

As part of our "Blended Model" of community policing, Colorado College has formed a cooperative relationship with the Colorado Springs Police Department. After hours, the Colorado Springs Police help in patrolling the campus at times when there is a higher likelihood of incidents. For instance, on Friday and Saturday nights, Colorado Springs Police Officers patrol throughout the campus and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods.

How does CC prioritize the safety of students, faculty, and staff during times of heightened tension on campus?

In advance of known demonstrations, speakers, or large community events on campus, college leadership, Campus Safety, Student Life, and local law enforcement (CSPD) work together to create an event protocol and action plan. These protocols often evolve as we learn more information or as circumstances change. Our Campus Safety team also works closely with CSPD to conduct threat assessments prior to acute events, and through our emergency response management protocols during acute events. We benefit from a historically productive relationship with CSPD that ensures we are ready to respond should there be safety or security threats to our community.

Resources