University of Alabama at Birmingham
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Website: http://www.uab.edu
Type: Public
Federal Circuit: 11th Circuit
Speech Code Rating
University of Alabama at Birmingham 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 here.
Red Light Policies
UAB Information Technology: Policy Violations
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Creating, displaying, or transmitting threatening, racist, sexist, or harassing language and/or materials.
Non-Academic Student Conduct Policy: Prohibited Conduct
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Harassment. Any unwelcome conduct based on actual or perceived status including: sex, gender identity/expression, race, color, age, national origin, creed, disability, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or veteran status. Any unwelcome conduct should be reported to University officials who will act to remedy and resolve reported incidents on behalf of the victim and community.
Residence Hall Handbook: The UAB Inclusive Campus Commitment
Speech Code Category: Policies Restricting Freedom of Conscience
Last updated: February 14, 2017I will strive to build an inclusive community at UAB. I believe that every student, faculty member & staff has the right to be treated with dignity, respect, and self-worth. I will work to ensure that my behavior and my actions do not harass or make fun of anyone due to their race, gender, culture, faith, class, sexual orientation or any other difference. Although I know I am not perfect and I will make mistakes, I believe that it is my responsibility to act in a manner free of bias, exclusion, and discrimination. I believe I have the power to build an inclusive UAB!
Non-Academic Student Conduct Policy: Prohibited Conduct
Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Bullying and cyberbullying are intentional repeated and/or severe aggressive behaviors that a reasonable person should know will intimidate, cause fear, or cause physical and/or emotional harm and/or control to one or more individuals and are not protected by freedom of expression.
Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Discriminatory Harassment of a Non-Sexual Nature
The same principles related to sexual harassment also apply to harassment on the basis of any characteristic that is protected by law. Thus, UAB’s policy prohibits discriminatory harassment of a non-sexual nature, which includes verbal, physical, or graphic conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability unrelated to job performance, veteran status, genetic or family medical history, or other status protected by applicable law and that
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Has the effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, educational, or living environment; or
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Has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or a student’s academic performance.
UAB also adopts these principles with regard to discrimination or discriminatory harassment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
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Residence Life Handbook: Respect for Persons
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: February 14, 20172. The Office of Student Housing and Residence Life respects and celebrates the diversity of its residents. Acts of intolerance and/or harassment due to race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, religion, disability, or sexual orientation are neither appropriate nor tolerated.
3. Residents will refrain from harassment and verbal abuse of other residents, which includes, but is not limited, to harassment and verbal abuse through the internet.
Residence Life Handbook: Harassment
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Harassment is defined as an attempt made to threaten another person(s) physically, emotionally or mentally by using verbal language, or electronic communication, including, but not limited to, text messaging and social networking sites.
Bias Incident Reporting: What is a Bias Related Incident
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: September 28, 2017What is a Bias Related Incident?
A bias-related incident is any behavior or action directed toward an individual or group based upon actual or perceived identity characteristics or background, such as: race, sex (including gender identity/expression), color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, military status, or sexual orientation.
Such acts may result in creating a hostile environment and may have a negative psychological, emotional, or physical impact on an individual, group and/ or community. Bias-related incidents occur without regard to whether the act is legal, illegal, intentional or unintentional.
Incidents which involve UAB students and occur on or off campus and have the effect of harming individuals or groups may be addressed by the university’s Bias Incident Response Protocol. The protocol may be initiated in cases when it is clear that the incidents have harmful effects on persons or groups based upon their race, sex (including gender identity/expression), color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, military status or sexual orientation.
Types of incidents may include:
- Physical injury
- Damage to property
- Graffiti/signs
- Threatening mail/email or social media post
- Threatening voice mail/message
- Telephone harassment
- Confrontation
- Stalking
- Verbal harassment/slurs/threats
- Written slur or threat
- Gestures
- Other
Student Conduct Code: Harassment/Endangerment
Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies, Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017e. Harassment/Endangerment
Harassment/Endangerment that is defined as not being of a sexual nature includes:i. Any action, in action, or communication that may reasonably be perceived as unlawful, harassing, or threatening harm to another person or group.ii. Any attempt to intentionally and repeatedly make contact with a person over their stated objections, including, but not limited to, non-gender based stalking.iii. An act that invades the privacy of another person.iv. Bullying behaviors, which include infliction of physical or psychological distress by way of teasing, social exclusion, threats, intimidation, violence, theft, or destruction of property.v. Any targeted action or statement via social media, computer, or other data network that may reasonably be perceived as unlawful or threatening.Student Affairs Policy VII-028: On-Campus Student Demonstrations
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Student demonstrations on the UAB campus, which by their nature may interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic or other activities, shall require prior notification to the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee at least 48 hours in advance of the event.
Title IX Student Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: February 14, 2017Sexual Harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non-verbal, graphic, physical, or otherwise, when the conditions outlined in (1) and/or (2), below, are present. …
(2) Such conduct creates a hostile environment. A “hostile environment” exists when the conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits, or deprives an individual from participating in or benefitting from the University’s education or employment programs and/or activities. Conduct must be deemed severe, persistent, or pervasive from both a subjective and an objective perspective.
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A hostile environment can be created by persistent or pervasive conduct or by a single or isolated incident, if sufficiently severe. The more severe the conduct, the less need there is to show a repetitive series of incidents to prove a hostile environment, particularly if the conduct is physical. A single incident of Sexual Assault, for example, may be sufficiently severe to constitute a hostile environment. In contrast, the perceived offensiveness of a single verbal or written expression, standing alone, is typically not sufficient to constitute a hostile environment.
Non-Academic Student Conduct Policy: Policy Summary
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: February 14, 2017The University of Alabama at Birmingham exists to educate its students, to advance, preserve and disseminate knowledge through research and scholarship, and to advance the interests and the welfare of society as a whole. Free inquiry and free expression are indispensable to the attainment of these goals.
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Troy art student sues after nude photos banned
November 1, 2005
An art student sued Troy University on Monday, saying the school violated his free speech rights by censoring his artwork and implementing a campus speech code that unconstitutionally restricts speech. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, contends Troy officials removed portions of Blake Dews’ artwork because it featured female nudity. The university issued a statement defending its decision on Dews’ art. ”The photographs in question displayed male full frontal nudity and the university did not consider the photographs to be consistent with our community ‘s standards,” the statement said. ”This is a matter now under litigation and […]
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