School Spotlight

California State University – Los Angeles

Location: Los Angeles, California
Type: Public
Tell California State University – Los Angeles to revise its speech policies by filling out this form.

Speech Code Rating

California State University – Los Angeles 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

Campus Climate

Overall Ranking

out of 154 colleges surveyed Read more
34

  • Executive Order 1097: Systemwide Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Against Students

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    Harassment means unwelcome conduct, based on the Complainant’s Protected Status, that is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that its effect, whether or not intended, could be considered by a reasonable person in the shoes of the Complainant, and is in fact considered by the Complainant, as limiting her/his... Read More

  • Policy on Time, Place, and Manner of Free Expression

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    A. Public Forum Areas In this policy, a “public forum” refers to University property that has traditionally been available to assembly or debate. Right of access and right of equality of access are guaranteed in these public forums. Prior restraint and most content-based restrictions are prohibited, but reasonable t... Read More

  • Housing and Residence Life 2021-2022 Student Guide: Violence, Harassment and Assault

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    Behavior that is abusive or threatening to any member of the community is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, physical or sexual assault, verbal threats and/or harassment, and all types of communication via phone, email and the internet. Read More

  • Standards for Student Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    Use of computing facilities and resources to send obscene or intimidating and abusive messages. Read More

  • Standards for Student Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    Students are expected to be good citizens and to engage in responsible behaviors that reflect well upon their university, to be civil to one another and to others in the campus community, and to contribute positively to student and university life. Read More

  • Policy on Time, Place, and Manner of Free Expression

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    Exposure to the widest possible range of ideas, viewpoints, opinions and creative expression is an integral and indispensable part of a University education for life in a diverse global society. California State University, Los Angeles supports the right of individual students, faculty, staff and student organizatio... Read More

  • User Guidelines for Electronic Communications

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    The following are considered improper use of electronic communications: … Using electronic communications to threaten, harass, stalk, defame, or otherwise interfere with the legal rights of others. Read More

  • Executive Order 1097: Systemwide Policy Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Against Students- Addendum B

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 28, 2021

    Sexual Harassment means conduct on the basis of Sex that satisfies one or more of the following: … Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to an Education Program or Activity. Read More

FIRE surveyed roughly 20,000 students at 55 colleges and universities about the climate for free speech at their institutions. In 2020, FIRE released rankings of those schools, based on a number of factors, including openness, tolerance, self-expression, administrative support for free speech, and campus policies, scoring overall speech climate on a scale from -4-100. See the full report on FIRE’s 2020 College Free Speech Rankings for more information.

 

Rankings / out of 154 colleges surveyed
Overall Ranking 34
Ideological Diversity 61

Overall / out of a top score of 100
Overall Score 61.33
Openness 10.77
Tolerance (Liberals) 10.21
Tolerance (Conservatives) 7.3
Administrative Support 6.02
Comfort 17.05
Disruptive Conduct 9.98
Speech Code YELLOW

  • So to Speak podcast: Campus free speech roundup

    January 24, 2019

    On today’s episode of So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast, we are joined by four members of FIRE’s staff to discuss the latest campus free speech news, including two new FIRE initiatives to tackle art censorship and restrictions on free speech and academic freedom abroad. Participants in this show are: Nico Perrino, host of… Read more

  • FIRE Announces America’s 10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2017

    February 22, 2017

    PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22, 2017—More than 92 percent of American colleges maintain speech codes that either clearly restrict—or could too easily be used to restrict—free speech. Each year, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) takes a closer look at campus censorship to identify America’s 10 worst colleges for free speech. The 2017 list of… Read more

  • YAF Lawsuit Against CSULA Proceeds on Narrow Grounds

    December 15, 2016

    Ten months ago, conservative author and political commentator Ben Shapiro spoke at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). Shapiro’s speech was not without obstacles: CSULA attempted to charge the event’s sponsor, the Young America’s Foundation (YAF), more than $600 in security fees before unilaterally canceling (and then un-canceling) the event. When Shapiro finally spoke, some… Read more

  • CSU Los Angeles Reforms ‘Controversial’ Speaker Fee Policy Following Lawsuit

    July 22, 2016

    In February, conservative author and political commentator Ben Shapiro spoke at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), despite efforts by CSULA President William Covino—joined by some faculty members and students—to prevent him from speaking. In May, Shapiro and the event’s sponsor, the Young America’s Foundation (YAF), filed a lawsuit against CSULA, Covino, and several administrators… Read more

  • CSU Los Angeles President Fails to Prevent Shapiro Talk, But Protesters Try Their Hardest Anyway

    February 26, 2016

    Yesterday afternoon, conservative author and political commentator Ben Shapiro, editor-at-large of the Breitbart News Network, spoke at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA), but not without struggle. Shapiro’s talk, entitled “When Diversity Becomes a Problem,” was first unilaterally cancelled by CSULA President William Covino on the basis that the event would not be “inclusive” of… Read more

  • CSU Los Angeles Reverses Decision to Disinvite Ben Shapiro

    February 25, 2016

    California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) will let Ben Shapiro speak after all. Yesterday, CSULA president William Covino announced he had unilaterally decided to cancel a speech by conservative author and political commentator Ben Shapiro, editor-at-large of the Breitbart News Network. Shapiro, who was invited by CSULA’s student-run chapter of the Young America’s Foundation, was… Read more

  • In the Name of Free Exchange of Ideas, CSU Los Angeles Resorts to Censorship

    February 24, 2016

    Another story of administrative censorship made headlines yesterday, this time out of California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). CSULA’s president, William Covino, is the latest university president to take it upon himself to cancel a student organization’s event due to the views of an invited speaker. The target of Covino’s censorship is conservative author and… Read more

  • Cal State Declares Sex Toy Event ‘Not Appropriate,’ Cancels Program

    February 10, 2015

    California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) canceled an event focused on sex toys after an angry parent complained that the content of the program was inappropriate for her adult daughter and her peers. The event was planned by CSULA’s Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, a department of its Student Union, in conjunction with a local… Read more