School Spotlight
Towson University
Location:
Baltimore, Maryland
Type:
Public
Speech Code Rating
Towson 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.
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Reporting Hate Crimes & Bias Incidents
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: September 14, 2021To foster a safe and inclusive campus, the University will investigate all incidents motivated by bias. In order to prompt an investigation, the incident must be reported. If you have been a victim, or have witnessed or learned of a hate crime or bias incident, you can file a report using the Hate Crimes and Bias In... Read MorePolicies Affecting Students: 10-01.02 – Acceptable Use Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021“Cyberbullying” Is a form of harassment directed towards another person(s) or organization directly or indirectly via IT Resources that is so severe, pervasive, or persistent that it interferes with or limits a person’s ability to participate in, or benefit from, the services, activities, or opport... Read MoreStudent Affairs Procedures Affecting Students: Guidelines for Responsible Computing
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021Each user must accept the responsibility for his/her actions and agree to: … Use appropriate language, behavior and style Read MoreCode of Conduct: Cyberbullying
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021Cyberbullying is a form of harassment directed towards another person(s) or organization(s) directly or indirectly via online or other technology including but not limited to e-mail, text messages, social media, discussion board platforms, electronic, or other social networking sites that have the effect of causing ... Read MoreStudent Affairs Policies Affecting Students: Chalking Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: September 14, 2021Chalking that includes discriminatory, threatening, harassing, lewd and/or obscene language and/or images is not allowed. … The University reserves the right to immediately remove anything that violates these guidelines and to bill the responsible individual or group. Read MoreCode of Conduct: Definitions
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021Harassment means unwelcome conduct (including written or electronic communication) directed at a specific person(s), which is so severe, pervasive, or persistent that it interferes with or limits a person’s ability to participate in, or benefit from the services, activities, or opportunities offered by the Uni... Read MorePolicies Affecting Students: 06-04.11- Policy on Time, Place, and Manner
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021Students, recognized student groups, departmentally recognized organizations, and/or faculty or staff planning an Expressive Activity must contact the following offices at least 3 business days in advance of any planned Expressive Activity: the Office of Campus Life (Students and Student groups); the Office of the P... Read MorePolicies for On-Campus Housing: Restricted Items and Activities- Posting outside of rooms and solicitation
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021Items, graphics, or language which violate the harassment and discrimination definitions found in the Code of Student Conduct shall not be displayed on a door or be viewable from outside a room, quad, suite, or apartment. Read MorePolicies Affecting Students: 06-01.60- Policy on Sexual Misconduct
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 14, 2021“Sexual Harassment” includes 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 objectionably offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the University’s education program or activity; ... Read MoreReporting Hate Crimes & Bias Incidents
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: September 14, 2021Hate itself is not a crime, and TU is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties. Read More
FIRE surveyed roughly 44,000 students at 203 colleges and universities about the climate for free speech at their institutions. See the full report on FIRE’s 2022 College Free Speech Rankings for more information.
Overall / out of a top score of 100 |
|
| Overall Score | 53.12 |
Rankings / out of 203 colleges ranked |
|
| Overall Ranking | 51 |
| Openness | 63 |
| Tolerance (Liberals) | 196 |
| Tolerance (Conservatives) | 174 |
| Administrative Support | 35 |
| Comfort | 50 |
| Disruptive Conduct | 28 |
Administrative Behavior |
|
| Supported Scholars | 0 |
| Sanctioned Scholars | 0 |
| Successful Disinvitations | 0 |
Climate |
|
| Speech Climate | AVERAGE |
| Speech Code | YELLOW |
University of Rochester and Towson U. Get It Right on Recent Controversies
April 4, 2013
It’s not often enough that FIRE gets to relay a good example of speech on campus, but today I’m happy to bring you not one but two schools that are fostering proper respect for values of free speech and liberty more generally on their campuses The first comes from the University of Rochester, where economics… Read more
Towson University Should Not ‘Absolutely Want’ to be a ‘Yellow Light’ School
February 10, 2012
The Towerlight, a student newspaper at Maryland’s Towson University, ran an article earlier this week on Towson’s "yellow light" rating in FIRE’s recent speech code report, Spotlight on Speech Codes 2012: The State of Free Speech on Our Nation’s Campuses. The article does a good job of explaining Towson’s speech code rating, which could certainly… Read more
In Pursuing Theft of Towson Newspapers, State’s Attorney Chooses Expediency Over the Law
March 31, 2011
I wrote here last month about the theft of 2,000 to 3,000 issues of the Towson University campus newspaper The Towerlight. I wrote then, as did The Baltimore Sun on March 2, that The Towerlight intended to press charges against the perpetrators of the thefts, if they were caught, under the Maryland Newspaper Theft Statute. It appeared progress… Read more
Towson University’s ‘Towerlight’ Responds to Theft of Campus Paper
February 14, 2011
At Towson University in Maryland, the editors of The Towerlight, the campus’ student newspaper, are promising to take action after, according to initial reports, almost all of its most recent edition was stolen—nearly 10,000 copies in all (update, 2/15/11: a more recent estimate is that 2,000-3,000 papers were stolen). Such thefts are depressingly common on… Read more
CFN Member Profile: John Eubank
November 3, 2008
The Campus Freedom Network is full of liberty-minded students who are willing to work for reform on their campuses. One such student is John Eubank IV. A senior at Towson University in Maryland, John is active in the Student Government Association, Towson PROLIFE, Campus Crusade for Christ, and intramural flag football. John first learned of… Read more
FIRE’s Adam Kissel Speaking at Towson University Tonight
October 7, 2008
Adam Kissel, director of FIRE’s Individual Rights Defense Program, will be presenting two lectures at Towson University tonight. He has been invited to speak to the Towson Student Government Association early this evening and will give some remarks on the various measures that student representatives can take to ensure that they are doing their best… Read more