Rutgers University - New Brunswick

Branch Campus of a School System

A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more here.
Public or Private: Public
Special Status: None
Federal Circuit: Third Circuit
Head of Institution: President Richard L. McCormick
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
President's Office
83 Somerset Street
New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
732-932-4636
president@rutgers.edu
Website: http://www.rutgers.edu

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On this page, FIRE has excerpted policies that address speech and expression. You may download the full policy in .pdf form, below.

Policies on Diversity and Multiculturalism (Learn More)

No policies found.

Protected Group Harassment Policies (Learn More)

No policies found.

Sexual Harassment Policies (Learn More)

No policies found.

General Harassment Policies (Learn More)

Academic Freedom and Harassment 07-08
Therefore, harassment in violation of the Policy Prohibiting Harassment will not be found to exist in an instructional setting unless the complained of conduct:

1. Is directed toward an individual or group based on one or more of the traits listed in Section I,
2. Is sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter an individual\'s educational environment,
3. Creates an objectively hostile learning environment, and
4. Is, in fact, perceived as hostile by the complainant.
View full policy (PDF, 16 KB).
Policy Against Verbal Assault, Defamation, and Harassment 07-08
Harassment, which is statutorily defined by New Jersey law to mean, and here means, purposefully making or causing to be made a communication or communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language, or in any other manner likely to cause annoyance or alarm, or subjecting or threatening to subject another to striking, kicking, shoving or other offensive touching, or engaging in any other course of conduct or of repeatedly committed acts with purpose to alarm or seriously annoy any other person.
View full policy (PDF, 26 KB).

Policies on Tolerance, Respect, Sensitivity, Hate, and Hate Speech (Learn More)

Bias Prevention Steering Committee: Bias Incident Report Form 07-08
11. Category of bias (See attached definitions):

a) Specific Bias
b) Environment Act
c) Cultural Conflict
d) Inappropriate Language
SPECIFIC BIAS ACT: Written and/or oral messages or threats and/or physical acts directed against a specific person or specific group of persons known and targeted by the perpetrator(s). EXAMPLES: Message(s) on memo board(s) left in room, message(s) left on posted material of resident’s door or other public spaces in residence halls, message(s) left on answering machines, epithets directed at a specific person, epithets directed at a group of persons, advertisements placed in the classified ad section of a school newspaper.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTS: Written and/or oral language placed into common areas and/or open spaces which targets whole groups of people based upon any of the following: Race, ethnicity, cultural background, religion, nationality, sexual/affectional orientation, gender, or physical ability. This behavior is typically committed by an unknown person(s) against “invisible” segment of the community and constitutes more than the simple use of inappropriate language. EXAMPLES: Graffiti (in elevator(s), stairwell(s), hallway(s), bulletin board(s), laundry room(s), entry door(s), exterior façade(s), bathroom(s), courtyard(s), etc.) posting of printed or written materials in any of the above common areas, e-mail messages, defacing preexisting materials in common areas, yelling out of building’s window(s).
INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE: Use of words or phrases (written or oral) on the part of the perpetrator(s) which may be racist, sexist, heterosexist (homophobic), etc. in origin, but have bene [sic] incorporated into his/her commonly used vocabulary. Typically, it is believed or discovered that the perpetrator(s) has no specific or general intent to harm an individual or group based upon any of the following: Race, ethnicity, cultural background, gender, religious affiliation, sexual/affectual [sic] orientation, or physical abilities. EXAMPLES: “joking” comments (between friends, roommates, floormates), comments made in floor/hall meetings.
View full policy (PDF, 36 KB).

Loyalty Oaths and Honor Codes (Learn More)

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Mission Statements (Learn More)

University Mission 07-08
View full policy (PDF, 7 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Freedom of Speech (Learn More)

Rutgers Policy: Academic Freedom 07-08
As teachers, professors encourage the free pursuit of learning in their students. They
hold before them the best scholarly and ethical standards of their discipline.
Since the very nature of a university and its value to society depend upon the free pursuit and
dissemination of knowledge and free artistic expression, all members of the faculty of this University are expected, in the classroom, laboratory, and studio, in research and professional
publication, freely to discuss subjects with which they are competent to deal, to pursue inquiry therein, and to present and endeavor to maintain their opinions and conclusions relevant thereto.
View full policy (PDF, 33 KB).

Other Speech Codes (Learn More)

No policies found.

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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in September 2007. According to FIRE’s research the substantive policies are current at least until this date. Directory information, including the name of the president of the college or university, may have been updated more recently. If any policy has been revised, or if you believe that we are in error, please contact us.

Below, FIRE has excerpted policies affecting freedom of association and materials related to mandatory student orientations. Please note that the materials below this line do not affect a college or university's Speech Code Rating.

Mandatory Student Orientation Materials

No policies found.

Student Fee Policies Affecting Freedom of Association

No policies found.

Other Policies Restricting Freedom of Association

Student Organization Handbook: Non-Discrimination Policy 07-08
Memberships:
Clubs and organizations may not deny membership to anyone on the basis of race, creed, color,
religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, disability, marital status, familial status, affectional or
sexual orientation, or veteran status; with the exception of social sororities or fraternities which are
entitled by law to remain single-sex organizations if tax exempt under 504a of IRS code 1954.
View full policy (PDF, 0 KB).