Binghamton University, State University of New York

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, Gutsell learned that these two incidents were “not the primary basis” for his expulsion, and that BU may have determined that he was unfit for social work because he was not conforming to others’ subjective expectations about individuals’ proper conversational style, even outside of the […]

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 hired the BHA’s executive director as a faculty member. The department then ordered that Massena leave the program for one year with no guarantee of return, required him to apologize, and demanded that he publicly disavow his own views. When Massena appealed, the department’s chair […]

Student Handbook: Annual Security Report- Hate Crimes Prevention

Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: January 19, 2018

In addition to preventing and prosecuting hate/bias crimes, New York State University Police, staff in the Division of Student Affairs, the University Ombudsman and the Affirmative Action Office assist in addressing bias-related activities that do not rise to the level of a crime. These activities, referred to as bias incidents and defined by the University as acts of bigotry, harassment or intimidation directed at a member or group within the Binghamton University community based on national origin, ethnicity, race, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, color, creed or marital status, may be addressed through the State University of New York’s Discrimination Complaint Procedure or the Rules of Student Conduct. Bias incidents may be reported to University Police or to staff as noted above.

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Student Handbook: Other University Policies- Demonstration Policy

Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

Individuals wishing to organize a demonstration on campus should follow the normal space reservation procedures which can be found by visiting r25.binghamton.edu.

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Student Handbook: Other University Policies- Advertising on Campus

Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

Advertisements should avoid demeaning, sexist or discriminatory portrayal of individuals.

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Policy Statement on Discrimination and Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

It 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 verbal or written derogatory or discriminatory statements that may result in decisions affecting status, promotions, raises, favorable work assignments, recommendations, class assignments or grades.

[…]

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has defined sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

The state of New York has defined sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature when: … such conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s employment, public accommodations or public services, education or housing or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive employment, public accommodations, public services, educational or housing environment.

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Guidelines for Sponsoring Campus Events that Require Extra-Ordinary Security Arrangements

Speech Code Category: Security Fee Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

From time to time campus organizations sponsor events which tend to generate a great deal of controversy within the community.

[…]

The sponsor shall discuss these guidelines and all security arrangements with the University Police at least ten days prior to the event. The sponsor will assume the cost of officers, and any special equipment determined by the University Police that is necessary to assist with the event including outside police agencies if required.

[…]

Members of the audience are not to be subjected to search by the sponsor. Should this action be deemed necessary and approved by the President of the University, members of the University Police and/or outside police agencies shall provide this service. Any expenses associated with such a search, including that for personnel and equipment shall be charged to the sponsor

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Student Handbook: University Expectations

Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 19, 2018

The tradition at Binghamton, a public university, is that the full exercise of First Amendment rights is encouraged and protected.

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Code of Student Conduct

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

The term “sexual harassment” means gender-based, verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct that is sexual in nature and sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, denies or limits someone’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, the University’s educational program and/or activities, and is based on power differentials, the creation of a hostile environment or retaliation.

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Student Handbook: Becoming a More Inclusive Campus Community- Academic Freedom

Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 19, 2018

Throughout 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) affirms the academic freedom of students as well as professors: “Students have freedom to exercise their intellectual curiosity, to draw conclusions for themselves and to express their own opinions, no matter how controversial, [and] without fear [of reprisal].”

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Student Handbook: Other University Policies- Harassment

Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 19, 2018

The 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 right requires that members of the University tolerate the expression of views that are contrary to their own, and recognize that the expression of ideas that are intolerant, bigoted or deeply offensive are entitled to First Amendment protection. Equally important, however, is the understanding that free expression carries with it the responsibility of civility and respect for others. The University views conduct intended to disparage or demean others as contrary to the pursuit of knowledge and rational discourse.

So-called “speech codes” have been deemed unconstitutional by the courts. Therefore, while Binghamton University does not condone incivility within the campus community, it has not adopted a policy to prohibit offensive speech. Moreover, Binghamton has a proud history of inviting and encouraging the expression of diverse views.

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Information Technology Services: Computer and Network Use Policy

Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

Users must refrain from activities that abuse these tools such as:

a. Using the university’s information technology resources to libel, harass, or slander any other person.

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Code of Student Conduct

Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 19, 2018

The 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 which alarm or seriously annoy another person and which serve no legitimate purpose; c) by communicating or causing a communication to be initiated with a person, by any means, electronic or otherwise, that conveys a threat to cause physical harm to a person or their property; and/or d) with intent to harass, annoy, threaten or alarm another person subjects that person to physical contact or threatens to do the same because of a belief or perception about that person’s race, color, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, national origin or ancestry.

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‘Best of’ edition includes list of ‘worst’ colleges

September 1, 2010

Civil-rights organization highlights universities that are ‘unrepentant’ violators by Bob Unruh WorldNetDaily   A permanent blemish on a student’s record for a parody, an attempted expulsion for criticism of a “social injustice” and the formal censorship of a political satire: All of these actions have earned American colleges and universities a citation in a full-page ad in U.S. News & World Report’s 2011 edition of its “Best Colleges” issue. The ad warns parents and students to “think twice” about considering attending the schools. The ad was taken out by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which highlighted Bucknell University, […]

BR Sits Down With FIRE’s Adam Kissel

February 17, 2009

Binghamton Review   Attached Files BR Sits Down With FIRE’s Adam Kissel, PDF, 203 KB , Binghamton Review

SUNY-Binghamton Student Accuses Social-Work Department of Retaliation

December 23, 2008

The State University of New York at Binghamton tried unsuccessfully this fall to suspend a social-work student after he displayed posters criticizing an adjunct instructor at the university. Now, the student says, the social-work department is trying to force him out by unfairly giving him bad grades. The student – Andre Massena – is enrolled in the master’s program in social work. Last summer he tacked up posters on the campus criticizing the Binghamton Housing Authority for evicting a single mother and her children, and asking people to call the social-work department to complain. David K. Tanenhaus, the housing authority’s […]

Social-work student lands in hot water over posters at Binghamton

November 14, 2008

The social-work department at the State University of New York at Binghamton wants a graduate student to withdraw for a year after he put up posters on the campus criticizing the Binghamton Housing Authority and an adjunct professor in the department who heads the authority. The student, Andre Massena, is enrolled in the master’s program in social work. To read the complete article, you must have a subscription to The Chronicle online.

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 March 28, when a group of students posted in Binghamton University’s Downtown Center approximately 200 flyers criticizing the university’s response to recent incidents of perceived racist expression on campus. After about an hour, a campus police officer stopped student Dominic Davy and questioned him about […]

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 told them they would be held responsible if other students littered their flyers. Today, FIRE calls on Binghamton University to drop its investigation and commit to ensuring its campus police respect students’ First Amendment rights. “By surveilling students’ expressive activity and warning them that they would […]

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 viewpoint tax on controversial speech, requiring student organizations to pay additional — sometimes prohibitive — fees to host controversial speakers on campus. This gives those who are opposed to a speaker a “heckler’s veto,” allowing them to control the terms of debate on campus by […]

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 Student Advocates program. He’s since graduated. This summer, he spent several weeks working with the Leros Solidarity Network to help refugees in crisis in the Middle East. He’s currently a summer law clerk for the New York City Department of Education’s Administrative Trials Unit. He […]

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 Room Diplomacy at Binghamton University in New York set up a wall last week that was filled with everything “from animal drawings to political statements,” according to Pipe Dream, the school’s student newspaper. Pipe Dream reported: Although most of the postings on the wall were […]

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 years to come. In this series, we are discussing common problems with campus speech codes, focusing on examples from schools that are just a few small changes away from earning a green light rating. So far, we have examined how universities restrict speech by mandating “civility,” […]

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, the near-expulsion of social work student Andre Massena and the successful expulsion of social work student Michael Gutsell—so I suggest you read his post if you haven’t. Binghamton Senior Director of Media and Public Relations Gail Glover offered brief comments for the article, however, which […]

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 a profound disregard for free speech rights over the years—has quickly generated a good deal of attention and response. Peter explained on Friday why DePaul University was one of the schools outside of our Red Alert list to be selected for this dubious distinction. Today, […]

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 well as schools whose policies are so bad that they simply had to be included. For longtime Torch readers, the presence of most of these schools on our list won’t come as a surprise. But we don’t want to give it all away here. Is […]

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.  

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 of the majority of their fellow colleges and universities. The Review explains that  compared to other colleges, Binghamton University is one of the most free, at least in terms of commitment to free expression. According to a report by FIRE, over 70% of colleges and universities restrict the speech of their […]

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 Social Work’s vague and unforgiving disciplinary system. Unfortunately, despite FIRE’s appeals to the BU administration to apply basic fairness and respect for students’ First Amendment rights to his case, Gutsell was expelled from the MSW program without knowing why, much less having a chance to […]

FIRE Laura Bronstein

February 1, 2010

FIRE Laura Bronstein                                              

FIRE and the State of Speech on Campuses

February 1, 2010

FIRE and the State of Speech on Campuses                                              

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 in the Department of Social Work at Binghamton University (BU). FIRE last wrote you on October 29, 2008, after the department punished Master in Social Work (MSW) student Andre Massena for his protected speech. Today, FIRE is concerned about the threats to freedom of expression, […]

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 in 2000) gave FIRE an extra hand by blogging about the video on their website, helping to push it toward 50,000 views. Thought reform at Delaware was also the subject of Robert’s article this week for Pajamas Media. Robert also discussed Virginia Tech’s efforts at […]

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) was reported to the police by his professor and subjected to an interrogation on the basis of a class presentation he had given in favor of concealed carry rights on campus. Building on a FoxNews.com front-page story (tipped this week in an editorial on the […]

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 Work. Massena was threatened with suspension and then expulsion after he posted flyers around campus that criticized the Binghamton Housing Authority’s director, David Tanenhaus, and criticized the Department of Social Work for having hired him. Although the department dropped the charges against Massena under pressure […]

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 Adam’s speech.

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 prior to his visit, in addition to publishing an article on BU’s attempts at academic retaliation against Massena, and FIRE’s efforts to win justice on his behalf. FIRE figures as well in an article examining proposed changes to BU’s code of conduct, and is given […]

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 BU’s Department of Social Work. Massena was threatened with suspension and then expulsion after he posted flyers around campus that criticized the Binghamton Housing Authority’s director, David Tanenhaus, and criticized the Department of Social Work for having hired him. Although the department dropped the charges […]

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 Adam’s speech.

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 timely, given the problems FIRE has confronted at Binghamton in recent months. Torch readers should be well aware of the abhorrent treatment of social work graduate student Andre Massena by the BU Department of Social Work, which ordered his suspension for posting flyers critical of […]

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 a spot among the “worst of the worst.”  This summer, we decided to step up our campaign for reform at Red Alert schools by running a full-page ad in the 2009 edition of U.S. News & World Report‘s all-important America’s Best Colleges issue, right next […]

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 that the department is now trying to expel him by other means. One angry student, the pseudonymous “Lisa White,” has reported that students have noticed the changes in how professors are treating and grading Massena, and that she and at least one other student are […]

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 Review‘s account of the exceedingly shameful tale here.) When FIRE exposed this shameful case to national public outcry, Massena was able to avoid “advancement” (which, believe it or not, is the Department of Social Work’s Orwellian term for expulsion) from the program. Unfortunately (but not […]

‘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 Adam Shamah has written a 1,000-word piece on the case under the title, “Lighting a F.I.R.E. Under the Social Work Department.” Shamah’s strong article chronicles this outlandish case to the utter shame of the department. The story is so compelling that I include most of […]

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 FIRE exposing his egregious treatment at the hands of BU administrators. The Volokh Conspiracy, which picked up FIRE’s press release detailing BU’s appalling violations of Massena’s constitutional rights within hours of its being issued, was equally quick to report FIRE’s victory. Students for Academic Freedom […]

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 to apologize, and demanded that he publicly disavow his own views after his pseudonymous posters challenged the department for having hired the executive director of the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA)—an agency Massena thought was responsible for social injustice. When Massena appealed, the department’s chair, Laura […]

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 demanded that he publicly disavow his own views after his pseudonymous posters challenged the department for having hired the executive director of the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA)—an agency Massena thought was responsible for social injustice. When Massena appealed, the department’s chair added entirely new allegations […]

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 required). Just as importantly, Adam’s post pointed to the unrest Binghamton’s treatment of Massena has fomented in the graduate student body, where the Graduate Student Organization of Binghamton University unanimously condemned the university’s actions yesterday in a letter to Binghamton President Lois DeFleur. Be sure […]

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 get others to stop complaining to the department after he put up posters that embarrassed his department. The posters challenged the department for having hired the executive director of the Binghamton Housing Authority, an agency Massena thought was responsible for social injustice. Massena remains in […]

Binghamton University Department of Social Work Declares War on Student for Posters Criticizing Department and Government Agency

November 13, 2008

Today’s press release paints a very disturbing picture of Binghamton University’s Department of Social Work. The department ordered the suspension of a master’s student for one year with no guarantee of return, required him to apologize, and demanded that he publicly disavow his own views after he put up posters challenging the department for having hired the executive director of the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA)—an agency the student thought was responsible for social injustice. Student Andre Massena remains in school pending an appeal, which is to be heard tomorrow afternoon. On August 25, 2008, Massena put up posters on campus […]

Binghamton University Department of Social Work Declares War on Student for Posters Criticizing Department and Government Agency

November 13, 2008

BINGHAMTON, N.Y., November 13, 2008—Binghamton University’s Department of Social Work ordered the suspension of a master’s student for one year with no guarantee of return, required him to apologize, and demanded that he publicly disavow his own views after he put up posters challenging the department for having hired the executive director of the Binghamton Housing Authority (BHA)—an agency the student thought was responsible for social injustice. Student Andre Massena, who remains in school pending an appeal, has turned to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help. “This is an appallingly transparent attempt by Binghamton University’s Department […]

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 a green light that FIRE wants to take this opportunity to draw attention to its policies in the hopes that it will decide to fully honor its own stated commitments to freedom of speech by upholding the First Amendment rights of its students and faculty. […]