School Spotlight

Binghamton University, State University of New York

Location: Binghamton, New York
Type: Public
Tell Binghamton University, State University of New York to revise its speech policies by filling out this form.

Speech Code Rating

Binghamton University, State University of New York has been given the speech code rating Yellow. Yellow light colleges and universities are those institutions with at least one ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application. Read more

  • 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, 2020

    The 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 More

  • Student Handbook: Other University Policies- Demonstration Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

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

  • Code of Student Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

    The 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 More

  • Student Handbook: Other University Policies- Advertising on Campus

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

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

  • Information Technology Services: Computer and Network Use Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

    Users must refrain from activities that abuse these tools such as: … b. Propagating chain letters or spam. Read More

  • Policy Statement on Discrimination and Harassment, Including Sexual Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

    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... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Code of Student Conduct- University Expectations

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

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

  • Student 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, 2020

    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) a... Read More

  • Student Handbook: Other University Policies- Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

    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 rig... Read More

  • Code of Student Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 30, 2020

    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... Read More

  • SUNY Binghamton misinterprets Title IX in changes to sexual misconduct policy

    June 3, 2021

    A public university in New York has revised its sexual misconduct policy based on an apparent misunderstanding of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded educational programs.  On May 10, the State University of New York at Binghamton’s student newspaper, Pipe Dream, reported on revisions to the Code of Student Conduct… Read more

  • SUNY Binghamton backs down on proposal to railroad Greek orgs, promises due process

    January 26, 2021

    The State University of New York at Binghamton rescinded a proposal to suspend Greek life organizations “connected in any way to a sexual assault case” and promised to uphold the due process rights of its student groups. The university’s move comes after a FIRE letter criticizing the proposal. FIRE’s Jan. 8 letter to SUNY Binghamton… 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

  • 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… 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

  • 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… 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