School Spotlight
Binghamton University, State University of New York
Speech Code Rating
Multicultural Resource Center: Report an Incident of Hate or Bias
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: April 30, 2020The Multicultural Resource Center at Binghamton University is committed to addressing incidents of hate or bias, both on and off campus, and appreciates your help in bringing these incidents to our attention. This form can be completed either by victims of incidents or witnesses to them. Include as much information ... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Other University Policies- Demonstration Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: April 30, 2020Individuals wishing to organize a demonstration on campus should follow the normal space reservation procedures which can be found by visiting r25.binghamton.edu. Read MoreCode of Student Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: April 30, 2020The term “sexual harassment” means unwelcome conduct that is sexual in nature and sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it interferes with, denies or limits someone’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, the University’s educational program and/or activities. Sexual harassment may be based on powe... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Other University Policies- Advertising on Campus
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: April 30, 2020Advertisements should avoid demeaning, sexist or discriminatory portrayal of individuals. Read MoreInformation Technology Services: Computer and Network Use Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: April 30, 2020Users must refrain from activities that abuse these tools such as: … b. Propagating chain letters or spam. Read MorePolicy Statement on Discrimination and Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: April 30, 2020It is the policy of Binghamton University to provide an educational and employment environment free from all forms of intimidation, hostility, offensive behavior and discrimination, including sexual harassment. Such discrimination or harassment may take the form of unwarranted/offensive verbal or physical conduct or... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Code of Student Conduct- University Expectations
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: April 30, 2020The tradition at Binghamton, a public university, is that the full exercise of First Amendment rights is encouraged and protected. Read MoreStudent Handbook: Becoming a More Inclusive Campus Community- Academic Freedom
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: April 30, 2020Throughout its history, Binghamton has maintained a tradition of open communication and freedom of expression. It recognizes that the university is a traditional sphere of free expression fundamental to the functioning of our society. The Binghamton President’s Commission on Free Speech and Academic Freedom (1992) a... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Other University Policies- Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: April 30, 2020The concepts of academic freedom and an open exchange of ideas are essential to the mission of any educational institution. Binghamton University is committed to these ideals, and as a public institution is legally obligated to protect its members’ First Amendment right of freedom of expression. Respect for this rig... Read MoreCode of Student Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: April 30, 2020The term “harassment” means intentionally annoying another person: a) by following that person in or about a public place or by engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts which place a person in reasonable fear of physical injury; b) by engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts... Read More
Binghamton University, State University of New York: Campus police surveil students, threaten prosecution over anti-racism flyers
May 21, 2018
Police warn students that they would be asked to stopped distributing flyers if recipients littered.
Binghamton University: Social Work Student Expelled
September 21, 2009
Binghamton University graduate student Michael Gutsell was expelled by the Department of Social Work following two incidents where his classroom speech drew complaints from fellow students. Despite the fact that the speech was relevant to the class and broke no university or department rules, the hearing panel recommended his dismissal. After appealing the decision, however,… Read more
Binghamton University: Student Suspended for Posters Criticizing Department of Social Work and Government Agency
October 29, 2008
Under pressure from FIRE, Binghamton University (formerly SUNY-Binghamton) abandoned its attempt to suspend or expel a student who put up posters challenging the Department of Social Work. Social work master’s student Andre Massena thought the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA) was responsible for social injustice, so he put up pseudonymous posters challenging the department for having… Read more
After Binghamton shoutdown, protesters need to know how the First Amendment works
November 19, 2019
It happened again. This time, at New York’s Binghamton University. A protester with a bullhorn hijacked a Nov. 18 lecture from economist Art Laffer, who was invited to speak by the BU College Republicans. The shoutdown, which happened just minutes after the event began, is the latest in a disturbing trend of protesters silencing others… Read more
Binghamton University is right to end investigation, but wrong to blame students for littered flyers
May 29, 2018
Last week, FIRE called attention to recent troubling events at Binghamton University, where campus police officers’ response to students’ posting and distribution of flyers raised questions about students rights at the university. The administration has since walked back some of its threats to student free speech, but there’s still work to do. Trouble began on… Read more
Binghamton University campus police surveil students and threaten prosecution over anti-racism flyers
May 21, 2018
Campus police told students they’d be responsible if other students littered the flyers BINGHAMTON, N.Y., May 21, 2018 — After calling students’ expressive activities “a violation of the law and of the student handbook,” State University of New York at Binghamton campus police surveilled students’ literature distribution, threatened to prosecute them for posting flyers indoors, and… Read more
Speech Code of the Month: SUNY Binghamton
March 13, 2018
FIRE announces our Speech Code of the Month for March 2018: the State University of New York at Binghamton. Universities around the country have been struggling to deal with the cost of hosting speakers whose appearance may result in violent, disruptive protests on campus. Unfortunately, some universities’ answer is to impose what amounts to a… Read more
Student Defender Profile: Steven Lazickas, Student Advocates program director at Binghamton University
July 20, 2017
In honor of this week’s debut of FIRE’s new Student Defenders program, we’re profiling students already helping peers accused of conduct violations navigate their school’s often-confusing disciplinary systems. Today, we’re featuring our recent chat with State University of New York at Binghamton’s Steven Lazickas. When we spoke this spring, Lazickas was director of the school’s… Read more
Students Create Free Speech Walls to Celebrate First Amendment
September 27, 2013
Students at colleges across the country are encouraging their peers to exercise their right to free speech by building “free speech walls” on their campuses—displays where students can write or draw whatever they want. Free speech walls are a great way for students to share ideas in a public way. For example, student group Dorm… Read more
Posting Policies Frequently Restrict Student Expression
October 30, 2012
This fall, FIRE is writing a blog series about how schools can reform their problematic speech codes and earn a "green light" rating from FIRE—a distinction currently awarded to just 16 of the more than 400 schools in our Spotlight database, but one we hope to be able to award to many more in the… Read more
Binghamton’s Place on FIRE’s ’12 Worst’ List, Revisited
February 2, 2011
The Pipe Dream, an independent student newspaper at Binghamton University in New York, writes this week on Binghamton’s inclusion on FIRE’s “12 Worst Schools for Free Speech,” as featured in The Huffington Post. Azhar has already done quite a nice job for FIRE in explaining what Binghamton has done to earn its place on the list—namely,… Read more
Why Binghamton University is One of Our ’12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech’
February 1, 2011
By now, I hope you’ve had a chance to read our list of the "12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech," which we highlighted on The Huffington Post last week. Our "Dirty Dozen"—which is made up of the six colleges and universities on our Red Alert list, as well as six other institutions that have shown… Read more
FIRE in ‘The Huffington Post’ on America’s 12 Worst Schools for Free Speech
January 27, 2011
Today, The Huffington Post published FIRE’s list of America’s 12 Worst Schools for Free Speech. An expansion of FIRE’s Red Alert List of the “worst of the worst” schools for student and faculty rights, this “dirty dozen” slideshow includes the schools that come onto FIRE’s radar screen again and again for their repeated and egregious violations of fundamental rights, as… Read more
Injustice at SUNY Binghamton
August 31, 2010
Andre Massena was almost expelled from SUNY Binghamton after he publicly criticized a faculty member he thought was responsible for social injustice. With FIRE’s help, Andre graduated. [iframe src=”//www.youtube.com/embed/ood0sXfRVFU”]
Binghamton Part 2: A Focus on Speech Codes
February 10, 2010
The lead editorial in the current Binghamton Review, which calls for dramatic changes to the leadership of Binghamton University’s (BU’s) Department of Social Work ("FIRE Laura Bronstein"), points out that even with two dramatic violations of student rights in the department in the past twelve months, BU’s situation—on paper, at least—is far better than those… Read more
Binghamton’s Social Work Department Strikes Again, Expelling Student Without Feeling the Need to Tell Him Why
February 9, 2010
A year after The Torch was so populated with eye-popping accounts of Binghamton University’s (BU’s) attempts to force graduate student Andre Massena out of its Masters of Social Work (MSW) program, the student newspaper the Binghamton Review lays bare the case of another MSW student, Michael Gutsell, caught in the crosswinds of the Department of… Read more
The Systematic Attack on Free Expression in Binghamton University’s Masters of Social Work Program
January 1, 2010
Michael Gutsell Review Article
FIRE Letter to Binghamton University President Lois B. DeFleur
December 11, 2009
December 11, 2009 Lois B. DeFleur President, Binghamton University Office of the President P.O. Box 6000 Binghamton, New York 13902-6000 URGENT Sent via U.S. Mail and Facsimile (607-777-2533) Dear President DeFleur: The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is disappointed to be writing you once again about violations of the rights of a student… Read more
Rights in the News: FIRE’s Thought Reform Efforts Continue to Resonate
May 1, 2009
It seems like every week we’re reporting that FIRE’s short film on the University of Delaware’s experiment in thought reform has doubled the amount of views received on YouTube from the week before—a trend I’m all too happy to continue. This week the folks at Reason (which—throwback!—published Alan Charles Kors’ article "Thought Reform 101" back… Read more
Rights in the News: FIRE Issues Get the Lou Dobbs Treatment
March 13, 2009
As Will wrote earlier in the week, FIRE has seen far too many instances of students’ First Amendment rights being thrown out the window when used to support Second Amendment rights. FIRE has been all over the news concerning the most recent instance of this, in which a student at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU)… Read more
Liberty in Peril: Speech Codes on our Nation’s College Campuses
February 23, 2009
FIRE’s Adam Kissel traveled to Binghamton University (BU) to deliver a speech on “Liberty in Peril: Speech Codes on our Nation’s College Campuses.” The speech, which was followed by an hour-long question-and-answer period, discussed speech codes nationwide and drew particular attention to FIRE’s recent case at BU involving Andre Massena and BU’s Department of Social… Read more
Adam Kissel’s Lecture at Binghamton University Featured in Latest Podcast
February 23, 2009
This week’s episode of FIREside Chats features part one of Adam Kissel’s lecture at Binghamton University last week. "Liberty in Peril: Speech Codes on our Nation’s College Campuses" discusses speech codes nationwide and the recent events at BU involving Andre Massena and the Department of Social Work. Check back next week for part two of… Read more
Rights in the News: FIRE Brings the Heat to Binghamton
February 21, 2009
Adam’s speech at Binghamton University (BU) came at a time of high tensions on the public university campus, as the BU social work faculty continues its assault on graduate student Andre Massena. The Binghamton Review (also one of the joint hosts of Adam’s speech) sat down with Adam for an interview on Binghamton’s speech codes… Read more
Braving the Binghamton Snow to Deliver Speech on Campus
February 20, 2009
On Wednesday, FIRE’s Adam Kissel traveled through wintry weather to Binghamton University (BU) to deliver a speech on"Liberty in Peril: Speech Codes on our Nation’s College Campuses." The speech, which was followed by an hour-long question-and-answer period, discussed speech codes nationwide and drew particular attention to FIRE’s recent case at BU involving Andre Massena and… Read more
Episode 202: Adam Kissel at Binghamton University
February 20, 2009
This week’s episode of FIREside Chats features part one of Adam Kissel’s lecture at Binghamton University last week. “Liberty in Peril: Speech Codes on our Nation’s College Campuses” discusses speech codes nationwide and the recent events at BU involving Andre Massena and the Department of Social Work. Check back next week for part two of… Read more
Interview in ‘Review’ Sets Stage for Adam’s Visit to Binghamton University
February 18, 2009
This month’s issue of the Binghamton Review features an interview with Adam Kissel, Director of FIRE’s Individual Rights Defense Program, in which Adam discusses FIRE’s speech code ratings and what has earned Binghamton University (BU) its current “yellow-light” rating on Spotlight: The Campus Freedom Resource. The interview, conducted by CFN member Adam Shamah ’11, is… Read more
FIRE on FOX40 News Binghamton
February 18, 2009
After Adam Kissel’s visit to Binghamton University to speak about FIRE’s recent case at BU involving Andre Massena and BU’s Department of Social Work, the local FOX News affiliate ran a story on the event.
2008 Highlights: FIRE Places Full-Page Ad in ‘U.S. News & World Report’ Calling Out ‘Red Alert’ Schools
December 31, 2008
While FIRE works on cases from hundreds of schools in a given year, we have a special list for those schools that have shown unique intransigence in the face of criticism from FIRE for abusing student and faculty rights. We call that special list our Red Alert list, and right now five schools have earned… Read more
Binghamton University Continues War on Social Work Student by Other Means
December 22, 2008
After FIRE intervened in defense of Binghamton University Department of Social Work student Andre Massena, we announced that the department had backed down from its attempts to suspend or expel him because of his political activism against a professor who was also head of the Binghamton Housing Authority—activism which had embarrassed the department. It seems… Read more
Binghamton University Student Alleges Retaliation, More Problems in Department of Social Work
December 22, 2008
Binghamton University student "Lisa White" (apparently a pseudonym) has sent FIRE and many Binghamton administrators and students an e-mail with some very disturbing allegations that the BU Department of Social Work is actively retaliating against master’s student Andre Massena, whom the chair tried to expel earlier this semester for his political activism. (Read the Binghamton… Read more
‘Binghamton Review’ Blasts Binghamton Social Work Department in Activism Case
December 22, 2008
Binghamton University’s Department of Social Work still has a lot to answer for in the case of social work master’s student Andre Massena, whom the chair tried to expel after he placed posters on campus criticizing the department for what he thought was its social injustice. In the December issue of the Binghamton Review, student… Read more
Weekly Media Round-Up: Quick Victory at Binghamton Keeps FIRE Looming Large
November 21, 2008
It’s a good day when FIRE is able to declare victory in a nasty dispute before the waves of attention generated by our initial involvement have had time to settle. Such was the case with Binghamton University’s (BU’s) Department of Social Work, which dropped its investigation of graduate student Andre Massena within a day of… Read more
Victory for Freedom of Speech at Binghamton University Department of Social Work
November 17, 2008
I reported last Thursday and Friday on the case of Binghamton University (formerly SUNY–Binghamton) social work master’s student Andre Massena, who faced suspension or expulsion after he put up posters challenging the Department of Social Work. The department had ordered that he leave the program for one year with no guarantee of return, required him… Read more
Victory for Freedom of Speech at Binghamton University Department of Social Work
November 17, 2008
BINGHAMTON, N.Y., November 17, 2008—Binghamton University (formerly SUNY–Binghamton) has abandoned its attempt to suspend or expel a student who put up posters challenging the Department of Social Work. The department had ordered that social work master’s student Andre Massena leave the program for one year with no guarantee of return, required him to apologize, and… Read more
Weekly Media Round-Up: Binghamton Case Hits National Stage, Temple and Lone Star Cases Continue to Reverberate
November 14, 2008
Yesterday, FIRE went public with its efforts to protect the constitutional rights of Binghamton University graduate student Andre Massena. As you’ve already seen from Adam’s earlier Torch post, yesterday’s press release quickly brought the issue to the national stage, with the story appearing at The Volokh Conspiracy and in The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription… Read more
Binghamton Social Work Case Gets National Attention, Student Government Support
November 14, 2008
The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required) and The Volokh Conspiracy both have reported on the case of Binghamton University Department of Social Work master’s student Andre Massena, who was suspended for one year with no guarantee of return, required to apologize, required to disavow his own views, and required to make every effort to… Read more
It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green—
September 23, 2005
But it should be. All it takes for a university to earn a “green light” rating from FIRE is for the university not to maintain any policies that violate the First Amendment rights of its students and faculty. Sadly, however, few schools have a green light rating. One school, SUNY Binghamton, is so close to… Read more
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