School Spotlight
State University of New York – Fredonia
Speech Code Rating
Office of Student Conduct: University Policies for Students- Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Red
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021Sexual Harassment in the Educational setting is defined as: Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment of a student denies or limits, on the basis of ... Read MoreOffice of Student Conduct: Student Rights and Responsibilities (Code of Conduct)
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021Alleged violation of any of the following may result in charges being filed against a student or organization. … Posting of posters, handbills, or notices without permission of the appropriate University official. The Office of Campus Life must approve all postings. Read MoreOffice of Student Conduct: University Policies for Students- Celebration of Diversity
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021The University also discourages engaging in any action or situation that which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health of a member of the University community; creating a situation through severe and pervasive acts that results in the discomfort of, or harassment or excessive ridicule of ... Read MoreInformation Technology Services: Computer and Network Usage Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021B. Harassment Using computers or networks to harass, abuse or intimidate another person is prohibited. Users shall not develop or use programs that harass other users. Users shall be sensitive to the public nature of shared facilities, and take care not to display on screens in such locations images, sounds or messa... Read MoreOffice of Student Conduct: University Policies for Students- Bias Crimes Prevention
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: October 20, 2021In addition to preventing and prosecuting hate/bias crimes, University Police also assist in addressing bias-related activities that do not rise to the level of a crime. These activities, referred to as bias incidents and defined by the University as objectively perceptible acts of bigotry, harassment, or intimidati... Read MoreOffice of Student Conduct: Student Rights and Responsibilities (Code of Conduct)
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021Creating a situation that results in severe or pervasive harassment of a member of the University or local community. This includes bullying and cyber-bullying. Read MoreTitle IX Grievance Policy
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021For the purposes of this Title IX Grievance Policy, “covered sexual harassment” includes any conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following: … Unwelcome conduct that a reasonable person would determine is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a pers... Read MoreOffice of Student Conduct: Student Rights and Responsibilities (Code of Conduct)
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: October 20, 2021Demonstrations by Groups or Individuals The campus must be open to a free exchange of ideas and individuals and groups have protected Constitutional rights; therefore, all members of the community are encouraged to conduct dialogues with mutual respect and courtesy. The following conduct is prohibited: a. Denying to... Read More
SUNY Fredonia: Philosophy Professor Suspended for Philosophizing About Pedophilia
February 3, 2022
Stephen Kershnar, a tenured professor of philosophy at SUNY Fredonia, where he is known for pointed, Socratic questions about morality, was suspended by the university’s leadership over what the university called “reprehensible” views shared on two podcasts about the philosophical and ethical arguments concerning sexual contact between children and adults. The suspension followed a law… Read more
State University of New York at Fredonia: Professor Punished for Public Expression
July 7, 2006
State University of New York at Fredonia Professor Stephen Kershnar, apart from his faculty duties, authored a biweekly opinion column for the Dunkirk-Fredonia Observer local newspaper. Kershnar’s column had been critical of university policies including SUNY Fredonia’s Affirmative Action policy; Kershnar also publicly criticized a new student conduct policy. In response, President Dennis L. Hefner… Read more
FIRE calls on SUNY Fredonia to end suspension, investigation of professor for philosophical discussion of sex with minors
February 4, 2022
SUNY Fredonia philosophy professor Stephen Kershnar is known for his pointed, Socratic questions about morality. Like many philosophy professors, Kershnar asks difficult questions to get to the heart of why we think things are bad or immoral. Perhaps unlike most philosophy professors, Kershnar has made it his niche to deliberately question conventional views on issues… Read more
This Month in FIRE History: SUNY Fredonia Professor Targeted for Political Expression
July 19, 2011
In July 2006, Steven Kershnar, a professor at the State University of New York, Fredonia, came to FIRE for help after he was denied promotion for publicly disagreeing with university policies. As a columnist for a local newspaper, Kershnar had written a number of pieces that questioned the school’s student conduct policies, examined affirmative action… Read more
This Month in FIRE History: Victory for Professor’s Rights at SUNY Fredonia
August 6, 2007
It was one year ago this month that FIRE announced a victory in the case of Professor Stephen Kershnar at SUNY Fredonia. FIRE fans will remember that Kershnar was denied a well-deserved promotion because of his public criticism of the university on issues ranging from the school’s oppressive student conduct code to its affirmative action… Read more
Year in Review: Punished for Public Expression, Professor Finds Exoneration with FIRE
December 28, 2006
2006 saw a lot of extraordinary cases for FIRE: the censorship of a Dave Barry quote at Marquette; thought reform at Michigan State; harassment charges at the University of Central Florida because one student called another “a jerk and a fool” online at Facebook.com. But one case in particular arguably holds the dubious distinction of… Read more
Mike Adams Calls for SUNY Fredonia President to be Fired
September 5, 2006
Yesterday, on Townhall.com, columnist Mike S. Adams called for SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner’s termination for his handling of the promotion of Professor Stephen Kershnar. Adams wrote: Although I’ve been writing about free speech issues for years, I’ve never actually called for the immediate firing of a university president. That is, until today. Anyone remotely… Read more
Media Attention Not Reason for Promotion, SUNY Fredonia Claims
August 18, 2006
In an article in yesterday’s edition of The Buffalo News, Christine Davis Mantai, director of media relations and website for SUNY Fredonia, said Professor Stephen Kershnar’s promotion “was not a reversal of the decision made on the previous application,” but “was a new decision made on a new application, which built a stronger case in… Read more
This Just In: SUNY Fredonia President Hearts Free Speech
August 17, 2006
Yesterday afternoon, SUNY Fredonia President Dennis L. Hefner sent an e-mail to all faculty members reassuring them that he has always supported free speech and diversity of opinions, his recent foray into censorship, prior review, and meddling with a professor’s livelihood notwithstanding. He wrote, Dear Colleagues: I would like to clarify a recent subject… Read more
A Victory for the Most Basic of Rights at SUNY Fredonia
August 14, 2006
Three weeks ago FIRE announced the shocking case of Professor Stephen Kershnar at SUNY Fredonia. Kershnar was denied a well-deserved promotion because of his public criticism of the university on issues ranging from its oppressive student conduct code to its affirmative action policies. After intense media scrutiny resulting from FIRE’s press release, the university relented:… Read more
FIRE in the ‘New York Post’ on Scandal at SUNY Fredonia
August 1, 2006
Today’s issue of the New York Post features an editorial by FIRE President Greg Lukianoff and Vice President Robert Shibley discussing SUNY Fredonia, where the administration recently denied Professor Stephen Kershnar promotion because he publicly opined on university policies and practices. SUNY Fredonia President Dennis Hefner even attempted to require that Kershnar submit all of… Read more
Higher Ed Journals Cover the Kershnar Case
July 26, 2006
Today both the Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed contain coverage of FIRE’s outrageous case at SUNY Fredonia, where Professor Stephen Kershnar was denied promotion because he publicly criticized the university. The most significant development in these articles appears to be that university president Dennis Hefner now considers his proposal that all of… Read more
SUNY Punishes Professor Flatly Because of His Protected Speech
July 24, 2006
I have been working in this field for a long time now, and I would like to say that nothing surprises me anymore, but today’s release about a college professor denied promotion explicitly because of his outside writings criticizing the university’s student conduct code, affirmative action, and student conduct policies is really something else. I… Read more
SUNY Fredonia Punishes Professor for Political Expression
July 24, 2006
BUFFALO, N.Y., July 24, 2006—A professor at the State University of New York, Fredonia (SUNY Fredonia) has been denied promotion for publicly disagreeing with the university’s student conduct policies and affirmative action practices. SUNY Fredonia’s president later agreed to approve the promotion only if the professor would submit all of his public writings to prior university review. Professor Stephen… Read more