Policy on Equal Educational Opportunity

Pacific Lutheran University is committed to providing equal opportunity in education for all students without regard to a person's race, color, national origin, creed, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, or any other status protected by law. The university community will not tolerate any discrimination, harassment, or abuse of or toward any member of the university community.

The university holds as basic the integrity and well being of every person in the community. It is committed to providing an educational environment which is fair, consistent, caring, and supportive of intellectual and personal growth. Further, it is committed to protecting the rights of its community members to engage in dialog and to express ideas in an environment which is free from harassment, discrimination, and exploitation. This freedom of expression does not, however, entail the freedom to threaten, intimidate, harass, or abuse.

The university prohibits any activities which cause or threaten physical or mental harm, suffering, or exhaustion; which demean the dignity and personhood of any individual; or which interfere with one's academic progress. Examples of such actions are verbal threats or abuse, harassment, intimidation, threatened or actual physical assault, or consistent disregard of the rights and welfare of others. In particular, the university will see as a violation of this policy, any behavior which communicates a message that is threatening, intimidating, or demeaning or which causes physical harm to a person or to persons because of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. Any person or persons who are found to have violated this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension, expulsion, or termination.