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The DHM Policy outlines some of Reed’s prohibitions on misconduct, including nondiscrimination and nonretaliation policies, and includes information about how the college responds to allegations of harassment and discrimination on the basis of “Protected Identities and Classes” (see below). In all cases, reports and complaints alleging harassment or discrimination involving Protected Identities or Classes covered by the DHM Policy should be made directly to the Title VI Coordinator at titlevi@reed.edu and 503-517-7722, and/or by submitting a .

The Procedures section of the DHM Policy outlines steps for resolution of complaints, including specific grievance procedures that depend on the status of the Respondent:

Regarding members of the faculty

Complaints are handled according to sections F, G, and H of the Faculty Rules of Procedure.

Regarding staff employees

Complaints are handled according to the Human Resources Formal Complaint Procedures for Staff.

Regarding students

Complaints are handled according to the Judicial Board Code.

If community members have questions about the DHM Policy and its scope and process, they can also meet with the Title VI Coordinator to discuss their questions.

The DHM Policy is consistent with our values and is intended to ensure that no Reed community member is mistreated for any reason or discriminated against on the basis of Protected Identities and Classes. It prohibits Discrimination, including Discriminatory Harassment, and other misconduct such as violence, bullying, stalking, and romantic relationships between faculty and students. The Procedures section outlines the grievance processes through which Reed community members who believe they have been harmed by a violation of the DHM Policy can make a report and/or file a Formal Complaint, and the steps the college will take to resolve the matters, including, where appropriate, investigation, adjudication, supportive measures, and remedial actions, including sanctions. While the DHM Policy broadly prohibits many kinds of misconduct, this FAQ focuses on and explains policies regarding Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment based on protected identities and classes.

The DHM Policy’s conduct standards apply to students, faculty, staff, and agents of the college while in their representative roles. It also applies to visitors and vendors, as well as to any other person who participates in or benefits from ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ programs and activities, whether on or off campus, including academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic, residential, and workplace programs and activities, and to any person using Reed premises. Additionally, the DHM Policy may apply to other conduct that affects a substantial interest of the college.

Any person may report potential violations of the DHM Policy. Any current or former student, faculty member, staff member, or vendor providing services to the college may bring a complaint alleging violation of the DHM Policy. To initiate a formal grievance process, the Respondent must have been a member of the Reed community at the time the violation took place.

The college's Title VI Coordinator oversees compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VI”) and ensures that Title VI and college policies are enforced equally regardless of protected identity or class, applying the same standard for all students.

“Protected Identities and Classes” cover all of the categories that are protected by local, state, and federal laws applicable to the College. This includes race, color, national origin, shared ancestry and/or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military status, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, status as a parent, family relationship, or any other category protected by law.

Examples of conduct that may constitute discrimination based on a protected identity or class may include but is not limited to basing one’s action toward another on any of the following:

• One’s name, spoken language, or accent
• One’s skin color or other physical features
• Stereotypes about one’s skills and abilities (often associated with age, disability, or language)
• Stereotypes associated with one’s actual or perceived protected group association
• One’s dress, including religious or ethnic attire
• One displaying a religious symbol
• A generalized hatred toward a group of people based on a protected identity or characteristic
• One’s actual or perceived national origin or religious or ancestral identity
• One’s actual or perceived association with an ethnic, cultural, or religious organization or ethnic, cultural, or religious student club
• One’s actual or perceived association with a political organization or political student club

The DHM Policy prohibits Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment based on one or more protected identities or classes.

Prohibited “Discrimination” is singling out or targeting an individual(s) for less favorable or different treatment, in whole or part, because of their actual or perceived protected class or identity that has the purpose or effect of limiting or denying an individual’s access to the college’s programs or activities.

“Discriminatory Harassment” is unwelcome verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct that is derogatory, insulting, and/or intimidating and that is based on or motivated by an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived affiliation with protected identities or classes.

Discriminatory Harassment violates the DHM Policy if it creates a hostile environment. Harassment creates a hostile environment if it is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent that it limits or denies a person’s ability to participate in the college’s education program or activity. (Note: When such Discriminatory Harassment is sex/gender-related, the Sex-Based Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Procedures is used to address the issue. The DHM Policy addresses all other forms of Discriminatory Harassment.)

As discussed above, under the DHM Policy, all conduct that constitutes Discrimination or Discriminatory Harassment is prohibited. Discriminatory Harassment is unwelcome verbal, written, visual, or physical conduct that is derogatory, insulting, and/or intimating and that is based on or motivated by an individual’s or a group’s actual or perceived affiliation with protected identities or classes. Discriminatory Harassment does not have to include an intent to harm, be directed at a specific target, or involve repeated incidents.

Subject to the college’s free speech and academic freedom protections and provided that the required elements under the DHM Policy are met, the following are examples of conduct that may violate the DHM Policy’s prohibition on Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment:

• Applying different treatment toward or having different expectations of a person
• Excluding someone from the college’s programs or activities. This includes:
  • Exclusion when it is based on the assumption that the person is unable to participate because of a disability, age, language, or other protected identity or characteristic
  • The application of any type of “litmus test” for participation in any academic activity
• The use of slurs
• Use or dissemination of tropes
• Insulting, teasing, mocking, degrading, or ridiculing
• Denying the ancestral history of another person or group
• Displays or electronic transmission of derogatory, demeaning, or hostile materials
• Blaming an individual for actions of other individuals of their actual or perceived shared identity
• Verbal abuse
• Defacing an individual’s property with a hateful symbol or word (e.g., swastika, N-word)
• The destruction of religious items
• Using force or intimidation to obstruct the path of an individual
• Refusing to grant an individual an educational benefit (e.g., a letter of recommendation)
• Calls for the deportation or genocide of an entire people or group
• Refusing to work with someone
• Urging someone to self-harm
• Making unfounded accusations of supporting genocide or being a terrorist or terrorist sympathizer
• Inappropriate physical contact (e.g., forcibly removing another individual’s religious or ethnic jewelry or clothing)
• Committing any form of violence, including physical assault, intimidation, or stalking

The following are descriptions of how Discriminatory Harassment might manifest for a person based on their actual or perceived identity or membership in a protected class. Discrimination can also occur across multiple identities or group memberships at the same time. It is important to note that this list is NOT exhaustive, but it provides some instructive examples.

• Antisemitism may manifest as engaging in any of the following conduct against an individual because the individual is or is perceived to be Jewish, because the individual is or is perceived to be from Israel, and/or because the individual is practicing Judaism: using antisemitic slurs; blaming an individual for actions of other individuals of their actual or perceived shared identity as Jewish or Israeli; defacing an individual’s property with a hateful symbol or word (e.g., a swastika); destruction of religious items; denying an individual access to or refusing to allow an individual to participate in college spaces, programs or activities based on assumptions about their beliefs, their association with a Jewish organization, the wearing of religious attire (e.g., a kippah) or the display of a religious symbol (e.g., a Star of David or mezuzah); using force or intimidation to obstruct the path of an individual; or refusing to grant an individual a benefit to which they are entitled (e.g., a letter of recommendation).
  • Both Jewish and Israeli identity are covered by the DHM Policy.
  • For many Jewish people, Zionism is integral to their religious, ancestral and/or ethnic Jewish identity.
  • Conduct that falls within the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism, including its examples, will, provided the required elements under Reed’s DHM Policy are met, constitute prohibited discriminatory treatment or discriminatory harassment in violation of Reed’s nondiscrimination policies.
  • Targeting Jews on the basis of their Zionist identity for adverse treatment is a form of national origin discrimination on the basis of shared ancestry that—provided the other elements of the DHM Policy are met—constitutes prohibited discriminatory treatment or discriminatory harassment in violation of ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s nondiscrimination policies.
• Islamophobia may manifest as using or posting anti-Muslim slurs; blaming an individual for actions of other individuals of their actual or perceived shared identity as Muslim (e.g., calling an individual a “terrorist”); defacing an individual’s property with a hateful symbol or word; denying an individual access to or refusing to allow an individual to participate in college spaces, programs or activities based on assumptions about their beliefs, wearing or not wearing a hijab, or their association with a Muslim organization; using force or intimidation to obstruct the path of an individual; or refusing to grant an individual a benefit to which they are entitled (e.g., a letter of recommendation).
• Ageism may manifest as acting on assumptions about an individual’s ability to participate in an educational activity based on their age or using patronizing language toward an individual based on their age, even when not engaging in similar behavior towards an older or younger individual.
• Ableism may manifest as acting on assumptions about an individual’s inability to participate in an educational activity based on their actual or perceived disability, even when not engaging in similar behavior towards other individuals without a disability.
• Racism can manifest as using or posting racial slurs; making offensive or derogatory remarks about an individual’s race or color; subjecting an individual to less favorable treatment due to assumptions about their cultural context, hairstyle, or dress; excluding an individual from an educational program or activity because their race is believed not to possess the skill or intelligence needed for participation; unequally surveilling an individual because their race is believed to be violent or prone to committing crime; or blaming an individual’s actual or perceived race for societal challenges or problems.
• Anti-Blackness can manifest as using or posting racial slurs; making offensive or derogatory remarks about a person's race or color; excluding an individual from a program or activity because it is assumed that they will be “difficult” or “argumentative” or based on the assumption that they will not possess the necessary skill or intelligence for participation; touching an individual’s hair without permission; or holding an individual to a lower performance standard.
• Transphobia may manifest as persistently or intentionally misgendering an individual; persistently or intentionally using an individual’s “deadname” (one’s birth or former name that one is no longer using); expecting an individual to answer questions about their body, especially their genitals or medical history; or excluding an individual from campus spaces, programs, or activities due to their sex or gender.

No. However, for many Jewish people, Zionism is an integral part of their identity and their ethnic and ancestral heritage. While not all Zionists are Jews and not all Jews are Zionists, discrimination or harassment of Zionists has at times throughout history been used as a pretext to discriminate against or harass Jews. Conduct that would violate Reed’s DHM Policy if targeting Jewish or Israeli people, and that would otherwise meet the required elements under the DHM Policy, would also violate the DHM Policy if directed towards Zionists. Using terms like “Zionist,” does not insulate conduct that otherwise violates ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ’s policies.

Yes. As explained above, the DHM Policy establishes protections for members of the college community from discrimination or discriminatory harassment based on antisemitism and Islamophobia, which are included in the DHM Policy’s Protected Identities and Classes (e.g., race, national origin, shared ancestry and religion, etc.).

“Antisemitism” is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

Certain manifestations of anti-Zionism, taking into account the overall context, can also amount to antisemitism. Manifestations might include the targeting of the state of Israel, conceived as a Jewish collectivity. However, criticism of Israel, similar to that leveled against any other country, cannot be regarded as antisemitic. Antisemitism frequently charges Jews with conspiring to harm humanity, and it is often used to blame Jews for “why things go wrong.” It may be expressed in speech, writing, visual forms, and action, and employs sinister stereotypes and negative character traits.

“Islamophobia” is a fear, prejudice, or hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility, and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement, and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims. Islamophobic conduct may sometimes also overlap with various forms of racism, including, for example, anti-Arab racism.

The U.S. Department of Education uses the working definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (“IHRA”) on May 26, 2016:

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

For more information about examples that the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) identifies as relevant to the extent that they are useful in determining discriminatory intent, please see the Appendix to OCR’s .

The DHM Policy and Procedures encompass the college’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Consistent with U.S. Department of Education guidance including Executive Order 13899, ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ will consider the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism, including its examples, to the extent the definition and its examples are useful as evidence of discriminatory intent when applying Reed’s Discriminatory Harassment and Misconduct Policy and investigating or evaluating allegations of discrimination and harassment targeting Jews and Israelis on the basis of Jewish and/or Israeli religion, shared ancestry, ethnicity, and/or national origin, without diminishing or infringing on its commitment to academic freedom or any right protected by ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ, or under the Constitutions and laws of the United States and State of Oregon, including the right to free speech.

The college may also consider other guidance on or discussions of antisemitism as relevant and helpful.

No. The DHM Policy does not conflict with or override the college’s commitments to free speech and academic freedom.

The protection of academic freedom for faculty and students alike is a fundamental principle of the college, and community members are encouraged to share their beliefs and arguments appropriately in a spirit of openness and shared inquiry.

The DHM Policy stresses the college’s commitment to “maintaining a free and diverse campus community in which students, faculty, and staff can live, learn, work, and express themselves honorably.” The operating principles of the college stress that the free exchange of ideas is fundamental to the mission of the college. The DHM Policy further acknowledges the preamble of the Community Constitution:

“The faculty, student body, and staff of ÌÇÐÄvlogÊÓƵ adopt this constitution in order to define how we may share responsibility for community governance. We declare our commitment to honorable conduct in academic and community affairs, and we reaffirm one another's rights to freedom of inquiry and expression in coursework, scholarship, and the day-to-day life of the Reed community. “Since such freedom requires an atmosphere of trust and mutual confidence, we further declare that dishonesty, intimidation, harassment, exploitation, and the use or threat of force are incompatible with the preservation of this freedom.”

(Emphasis added.)

The DHM Policy is also consistent with existing federal guidance which states that federal agencies shall not diminish or infringe upon any right protected under federal law or under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The college’s commitment to academic freedom and open inquiry informs both the interpretation and application of the DHM Policy. Consistent with our values, the college supports the Reed community to freely engage in the respectful discussion of different ideas, beliefs, and opinions, including on sensitive or controversial topics. Thoughtful, reasoned debate and dissent are encouraged. Tension and discomfort in the free exchange of ideas is natural and should be expected.

Generally, the expression of controversial views will not violate the DHM Policy. This includes, but is not limited to, disagreement with another person’s political views, criticism of a government or its policies, or criticism of political leaders. However, conduct may violate the DHM Policy when, considering the totality of circumstances, the DHM Policy’s required elements for Discrimination or Discriminatory Harassment are met. These include, but are not limited to, intimidation, harassment, differential treatment, exploitation, the use of threats of force, and/or limiting or denying others’ rights to take full advantage of Reed’s programs. These discriminatory actions go beyond the free expression of ideas and are incompatible with preserving academic freedom.

In other words, the college addresses conduct violations, not differences of opinion, even where those differences of opinion may be uncomfortable or challenging.

Yes. The college prohibits retaliation against any person who engages in protected activity under the law or the college’s antidiscrimination policies, including the DHM Policy. This includes, for example, retaliation because someone has made a report or complaint, testified, assisted, or participated or declined to participate in any process or procedure under the DHM Policy.