School Spotlight

Georgia State University

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Type: Public
Tell Georgia State University to revise its speech policies by filling out this form.

Speech Code Rating

Georgia State University 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
30

  • University Housing Solicitation and Posting Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
    Last updated: October 1, 2021

    All flyers/posters must be pre‐approved by University Housing. … a. Flyers/Posters should clearly state the name of the group or department sponsoring the event or services advertised. … c. Flyers that encourage the violation of law or University policy, the consumption of alcohol or other drugs are proh... Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Prohibited General Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: October 1, 2021

    Harassing a person through unwanted conduct directed at them that causes reasonable fear for safety (e.g., Stalking) or is sufficiently severe, pervasive and persistent that it interferes with the person’s university employment or ability to participate in or benefit from university programs Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Rights and Obligations- General

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: October 1, 2021

    Membership in the community of scholars known as Georgia State University is a privilege and carries with it obligations to participate in and contribute to the educational mission of the institution. Concurrent with these obligations are rights and freedoms for each individual as guaranteed by the United States Con... Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Introduction- Guarantees of Student Expression

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: October 1, 2021

    Students have the right to freedom of expression by word or symbol as long as it does not materially or substantially interfere with the orderly operation of the university or with the rights of others as conferred by the Constitution. Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Sexual Misconduct Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: October 1, 2021

    Sexual Harassment (Student on Student): Unwelcome verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct based on sex (including gender stereotypes), determined by a Reasonable Person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to participate in or to benefit from an instit... Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Campus Speech, Distribution, and Posting Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: October 1, 2021

    GSU students, Registered Student Organizations, staff and faculty are supported in their right to engage in Speech Activities and may do so on campus in any place where, at the time of the speech, expression, or assembly the persons are permitted to be (including designated public forums | speech areas) with the exc... Read More

FIRE surveyed roughly 37,000 students at 154 colleges and universities about the climate for free speech at their institutions. In 2021, 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 0-100. See the full report on FIRE’s 2021 College Free Speech Rankings for more information.

 

Rankings
Overall Ranking 30/154
Ideological Diversity 24/159

Overall / out of a top score of 100
Overall Score 62.05
Openness 10.84
Tolerance (Liberals) 10.2
Tolerance (Conservatives) 7.29
Administrative Support 6.66
Comfort 17.1
Disruptive Conduct 9.96
Speech Climate
Supported Scholars
Sanctioned Scholars
Successful Disinvitations
Speech Code YELLOW
At present, FIRE has not been publicly involved in any cases at this school.

  • The “problem” with Page 33: Georgia State University walks censorship line

    July 12, 2019

    Student journalists at Georgia State University are scrambling to distribute thousands of copies of their summer magazine, The Urbanite, after administrators decided not to include it in the university’s student orientation materials. While the administration is under no legal obligation to distribute the magazine, it didn’t help its relationship with student journalists by offering a… Read more

  • Practical Advice for Fraternities Caught in the Battle for Free Speech on Campus

    September 16, 2004

    I. Introduction While there is no shortage of free speech battles on college campuses, fraternities have the dubious honor of being at the center of many of the least sympathetic controversies. From Halloween parties where brothers show up dressed as Ku Klux Klan members to fraternity newsletters that graphically relate a brother’s sexual exploits with… Read more