School Spotlight

Case Western Reserve University

Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Type: Private
Tell Case Western Reserve University to revise its speech policies by filling out this form.

Speech Code Rating

Case Western Reserve University has been given the speech code rating Red. A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more
This school has adopted the chicago statement for free speech. This school has adopted the chicago statement for free speech. This school has adopted the chicago statement for free speech.

Due Process Rating

Non-Sexual Misconduct

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D

Sexual Misconduct

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D

  • University Policies: Campus and Resources- Posting Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Red
    Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

    Posting of any derogatory, obscene, or offensive message, either explicitly or implicitly, is strictly prohibited. Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Proscribed Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

    Inappropriate treatment of others, including but not limited to: a. Causing physical harm to others b. Verbal Abuse c. Behavior that is threatening d. Behavior that is intimidating e. Harassment f. Behavior that is coercive g. Behavior that endangers the physical or mental health or safety of any person Read More

  • University Policies: Campus and Resources- Facility Use

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

    The university reserves the right to withhold from any individual or group the use of university facilities or service when, in the opinion of the university’s officers, such use is not in the best interest of the institution or may place the university in a position of legal liability, or when the individual ... Read More

  • Code of Student Conduct: Prohibited Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

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

  • Division of Student Affairs: About the CCRS

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

    The goal of the Community Concerns Reporting System (previously known as the Bias Reporting System) at Case Western Reserve University is to help educate and promote an inclusive community by supporting students through a clear and streamlined process for reporting incidents of perceived mistreatment, cultural/ethni... Read More

  • University Policies: Sexual Misconduct Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

    Sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome verbal or non-verbal sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, and/or conduct directed at an individual(s) because of gender when: …  Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably and objectively inte... Read More

  • Case Western Reserve University Statement of Ethics

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: June 13, 2019

    Universities seek to preserve, disseminate, and advance knowledge. At CWRU, as elsewhere, we recognize that to fulfill these purposes requires … the right to hold and express opinions different from our own. Read More

Policies are rated on their inclusion of 10 due process safeguards. Each policy may receive 2 points for fully including that safeguard, 1 point for partial inclusion, and 0 points for no meaningful inclusion. Most, but not all, institutions have separate policies for sexual misconduct and all other misconduct. See FIRE’s Spotlight on Due Process report for more information.

Grades

Non-Sexual Misconduct

D
7/20
  • Meaningful presumption of innocence
  • Timely and adequate written notice
  • Time to prepare with evidence
  • Impartial fact-finders
  • Meaningful hearing process
  • Right to present to fact-finder
  • Right to meaningful cross-ex
  • Active participation of advisor
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Unanimity or clear and convincing evidence

Sexual Misconduct

D
8/20
  • Meaningful presumption of innocence
  • Timely and adequate written notice
  • Time to prepare with evidence
  • Impartial fact-finders
  • Meaningful hearing process
  • Right to present to fact-finder
  • Right to meaningful cross-ex
  • Active participation of advisor
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Unanimity or clear and convincing evidence
At present, FIRE has not been publicly involved in any cases at this school.

  • Fate of a Case Western pro-life group up to student vote by referendum

    May 20, 2020

    Vote of as few as 1 in 10 undergraduates could be enough to strip the group of official recognition On Apr. 25, the Undergraduate Student Government at Case Western Reserve University, a private university in Cleveland, voted to recognize a chapter of Students for Life as a student organization on campus. But that wasn’t the… Read more

  • FIRE alerts students to due process threats using campus newspapers

    February 23, 2018

    FIRE’s recent groundbreaking Spotlight on Due Process report found that the overwhelming majority of our nation’s top universities fail to provide students even the most basic elements of due process. Now, to make sure students know what they’re up against if they’re accused of serious misconduct, FIRE is running eye-catching ads in campus newspapers at… Read more

  • Speech Code of the Month: Case Western Reserve University

    August 2, 2017

    FIRE announces our Speech Code of the Month for August 2017: Case Western Reserve University. According to Case Western’s Posting Policy, “[p]osting of any derogatory, obscene, or offensive message, either explicitly or implicitly, is strictly prohibited.” If you haven’t been following FIRE’s work, you may wonder what is wrong with this. After all, no one… Read more

  • Judge Dismisses Student’s Title IX Claim Against Case Western Reserve University

    September 16, 2015

    In an opinion issued today, an Ohio federal judge dismissed a former Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) student’s Title IX lawsuit against the university. The student, who was expelled from CWRU’s medical school after the university found him responsible for sexual misconduct, alleged he was innocent and that bias against male students motivated the university’s… Read more

  • College Attempts to Censor Student Columnist: Q&A with Andrew Breland

    June 8, 2015

    Meet Andrew Breland, a student journalist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and a 2014 FIRE Summer Intern. Andrew laments that while Case Western claims to support free speech, it often compromises freedom of expression for the sake of “civility” and other vague, subjective notions that are too often cited to justify censorship…. Read more

  • Introducing FIRE Summer Intern Andrew Breland

    June 18, 2014

    Andrew Breland is a rising senior at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), majoring in political science and English while simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree in political science. Andrew is the president of CWRU’s Pi Kappa Phi chapter and is a columnist for the The Observer, the university’s student newspaper. He has previously interned in the… Read more

  • Speech Code of the Month: Case Western Reserve University

    December 1, 2010

    FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for December 2010: Case Western Reserve University. Case Western’s “Use of University Facilities” policy provides that University facilities and services may not be used for political fund-raising or to advocate a partisan position …. This restriction also applies to the use of campus mail services, university mailing lists… Read more