School Spotlight

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Location: Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Type: Public
Tell Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania to revise its speech policies by filling out this form.

Speech Code Rating

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania has been given the speech code rating Green. Green light institutions are those colleges and universities whose policies nominally protect free speech. Read more

  • Technology Services: Computing and Information Network Usage Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: March 13, 2020

    No person shall harass, intimidate, threaten, or stalk another person by using email or other electronic means. Read More

  • Shippensburg University Student Code and Conduct Process: Preamble

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: March 13, 2020

    The community exists for the pursuit of learning, the transmission of knowledge, the development of students as scholars and citizens, and ultimately, for the general well-being of society. Freedom of inquiry, speech, action, and expression is indispensable in the attainment of these goals. Academic freedom is at th... Read More

  • What Is Sexual Misconduct?

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: March 13, 2020

    Sexual Harassment: Commit or attempt to commit sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other harassing or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … Such conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive from the perspective of a reasonable p... Read More

  • Equity, Inclusion, and Compliance: Anti-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: March 13, 2020

    Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct that is directed at an individual because of the individual’s race, color, religious creed, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other status protected by law, and that is severe or persistent or pervasive and objectivel... Read More

  • Pennsylvania House of Representatives Select Committee on Student Academic Freedom

    September 19, 2005

    The Pennsylvania House of Representatives brought together a committee to examine allegations that Pennsylvania’s public universities were plagued by liberal ideology and indoctrination. David A. French, at the time president of FIRE, served as a legal adviser to the panel. FIRE released FIRE Report on the First Amendment Responsibilities of Pennsylvania State-Funded Colleges and Universities,… Read more

  • Shippensburg University: Speech Code Litigation

    April 23, 2003

    In April 2003, FIRE Legal Network attorneys David A. French and William Adair Bonner filed a complaint against Shippensburg University, challenging the legality of its speech code, on behalf of two unnamed students. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania later issued a preliminary injunction ordering Shippensburg to cease enforcement of certain… Read more

  • Victory for Free Speech at Shippensburg: After Violating Terms of 2004 Settlement, University Once Again Dismantles Unconstitutional Speech Code

    October 24, 2008

    Shippensburg University (SU) has agreed―again―to dismantle its unconstitutional speech code. In a victory for free speech on campus, the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) announced yesterday that it had reached an out-of-court settlement with Shippensburg. The settlement ends ADF’s lawsuit, filed this past May, which alleged that the university had violated the terms of a 2004… Read more

  • Shippensburg Issues Statement on Speech Code Lawsuit, Blames Student Government for Constitutional Violations

    May 15, 2008

    Shippensburg has released a statement in response to the federal lawsuit the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed against the school. In the lawsuit, ADF charged that Shippensburg unconstitutionally reinstated its speech codes in violation of a previous settlement, and denied recognition to a student organization based on its viewpoint. In its statement, Shippensburg concedes that… Read more

  • Federal Lawsuit Filed against Shippensburg University for Violation of Settlement Repealing Unconstitutional Speech Codes

    May 7, 2008

    In a press release today, FIRE announces that a complaint has been filed in federal court today by attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) against Shippensburg University. The complaint alleges that Shippensburg University has dishonestly reinstituted unconstitutional policies in violation of the terms of a 2004 legal settlement reached with members of FIRE’s Legal… Read more

  • Federal Lawsuit Filed against Shippensburg University as School Blatantly Violates Settlement Repealing Unconstitutional Speech Codes

    May 7, 2008

    SHIPPENSBURG, Pa., May 7, 2008—A complaint filed in federal court today by attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) alleges that Shippensburg University has dishonestly reinstituted unconstitutional policies in violation of the terms of a 2004 legal settlement reached with members of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s (FIRE’s) Legal Network. The existing settlement… Read more

  • There Is No Such Thing as ‘Hate Speech’

    February 24, 2006

    Yes, that is correct. “Hate speech” is not a category of speech recognized under current constitutional law. It is merely a convenient way to pigeonhole speech that some people find offensive. But what is very troubling is when people begin to treat “hate speech” as unprotected speech. For example, a student leader at Penn State,… Read more

  • Speech codes make universities intolerant

    January 5, 2006

    Have you ever known a legislator who didn’t think his job was terribly important?Imagine the campaign slogan: “Elect me, because who really cares?” Or the direct-mail letters: “It’d be nice if you sent me a donation — but it doesn’t really matter.” The very concept is ridiculous. But apparently someone forgot to tell that to… Read more

  • Your ‘Guide’ to Fighting Thought Reform on Campus

    November 11, 2005

    If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they… Read more

  • The Authoritarian Communitarian Impulse

    July 27, 2005

    The Chronicle of Higher Education contains a fascinating account of an anthropology professor who spent a year posing as an undergrad student as part of a study of modern student life. Many of her findings were unsurprising (particularly for those of us who can still remember our own college days). Students are busy, focused on… Read more

  • FIRE Has Never Been ‘Sheepish’ on the Danger of Confusing Free Speech with Indoctrination

    March 2, 2005

    I wanted to add to David’s post about the article from The Nation. The author wrote: New, well-funded organizations like the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) specifically urge universities to monitor and divest themselves of those engaged in “rank political indoctrination”—which even they rather sheepishly acknowledge is an awfully thin line away from… Read more

  • More on ‘Soft’ Violations of Conscience

    February 21, 2005

    Thank you David for the recent post, and I would like to assure him I am not much for skewering (except the barbeque kind). However, I do disagree, in part, with a recent post in which David discussed his thoughts on violations of the right to conscience. I fully agree that “mandatory diversity training, ‘sensitivity… Read more

  • UC Santa Barbara’s Unlikely Claims

    February 8, 2005

    Last week the University of California at Santa Barbara capitulated in its attempt to force the owner of a site called thedarksideofucsb.com to remove the initials “UCSB” on its site. This is a remarkable case for so many reasons, not the least of which is that it highlights the trend of using intellectual property law… Read more

  • Shippensburg University: Freedom of Speech 101

    March 1, 2004

    Since the beginning, America has struggled with the concept of free speech. It’s a great idea in the abstract. But when reality hits – when free speech alarms, threatens and offends – the temptation is to rein it in. But then it’s not free speech anymore. Universities have become prime places to witness this free… Read more

  • A Great Victory for Free Speech at Shippensburg

    February 24, 2004

    SHIPPENSBURG, PA—In a historic victory for free speech on college and university campuses, Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, which first vehemently defended its extensive restrictions upon student free speech, has agreed to repeal its unconstitutional speech code. The settlement comes after the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued a preliminary injunction against… Read more