Rules of Conduct for Message Board Postings

To download a PDF document of the rules, click here.

The Signal newspaper is a public forum for the constituents of the University of Houston-Clear Lake. The editorial freedom of student editors and managers entails corollary responsibilities to be governed by the canons of responsible journalism, such as the avoidance of libel, indecency, undocumented allegations, attacks on personal integrity, and the techniques of harassment and innuendo. All postings on this website are moderated by The Signal editorial staff in accordance with these canons.

  1. We encourage community members to have open and candid discussions and debates. We will not censor members for expressing an opinion within the limits of these Rules of Conduct. However, all communications should be civil and polite. Community members should treat each other with respect and consideration for all points of view. Please remember that this is a public venue read by many people of all ages, from around the world, spanning all walks of life.
  2. Comments and contributions to forum threads or blog posts should be descriptive, succinct, and relevant to discussion or forum topic.
  3. Posts deemed the following are subject to removal: unlawful; libelous; misleading or deceitful; vulgar; harassing; defamatory; that intimidates or is hateful toward an individual or group of individuals on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age or disability; obscene; profane; pornographic; threatening; invasive of a person’s privacy; or otherwise inappropriate.
  4. Hyperlinks: The Signal website may not be used to post, transmit or provide hyperlinks or pointers to material that is knowingly false and/or defamatory; contain ad hominem attacks, misleading, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening or invasive of a person’s privacy; that otherwise violates any law; or that encourages conduct constituting a criminal offense.
  5. Advertising: The Signal discussion board may not be used to advertise or promote businesses, products or services.
  6. Intellectual property: The Signal website may not be used to post material that is protected by copyright, trademark or other proprietary right without the express permission of the owner(s) of said copyright, trademark or other proprietary right.