§1011a. Protection of student speech and association rights

(a) Protection of rights

It is the sense of Congress that no student attending an institution of higher education on a full- or part-time basis should, on the basis of participation in protected speech or protected association, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination or official sanction under any education program, activity, or division of the institution directly or indirectly receiving financial assistance under this chapter, whether or not such program, activity, or division is sponsored or officially sanctioned by the institution.

(b) Construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed-

(1) to discourage the imposition of an official sanction on a student that has willfully participated in the disruption or attempted disruption of a lecture, class, speech, presentation, or performance made or scheduled to be made under the auspices of the institution of higher education; or

(2) to prevent an institution of higher education from taking appropriate and effective action to prevent violations of State liquor laws, to discourage binge drinking and other alcohol abuse, to protect students from sexual harassment including assault and date rape, to prevent hazing, or to regulate unsanitary or unsafe conditions in any student residence.

(c) Definitions

For the purposes of this section:

(1) Official sanction

The term "official sanction"-

(A) means expulsion, suspension, probation, censure, condemnation, reprimand, or any other disciplinary, coercive, or adverse action taken by an institution of higher education or administrative unit of the institution; and

(B) includes an oral or written warning made by an official of an institution of higher education acting in the official capacity of the official.

(2) Protected association

The term "protected association" means the joining, assembling, and residing with others that is protected under the first and 14th amendments to the Constitution, or would be protected if the institution of higher education involved were subject to those amendments.

(3) Protected speech

The term "protected speech" means speech that is protected under the first and 14th amendments to the Constitution, or would be protected if the institution of higher education involved were subject to those amendments.

(Pub. L. 89–329, title I, §112, as added Pub. L. 105–244, title I, §101(a), Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1591 .)

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 89–329, as amended, known as the Higher Education Act of 1965. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1001 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1011a, Pub. L. 89–329, title I, §122, as added Pub. L. 102–325, title I, §101, July 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 462 , authorized grants to States, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 105–244.