School Spotlight

University of California, Irvine

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

Speech Code Rating

University of California, Irvine 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

Due Process Rating

Sexual Misconduct

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D

Non-Sexual Misconduct

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C

Title IX

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B

Campus Climate

Overall Ranking

out of 203 colleges ranked Read more
43

  • Sec. 714-18: Computer and Network Use Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Examples of misuse include, but are not limited to: … Using computers, electronic mail or any other form of computer network based communication to act abusively toward others or to provoke a violent reaction, such as stalking, acts of bigotry, threats of violence, or other hostile or intimidating “fight... Read More

  • Code of Student Conduct: Grounds for Discipline

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Harassment, defined as conduct that is so severe and/or pervasive, and objectively offensive, and that so substantially impairs a person’s access to University programs or activities that the person is effectively denied equal access to the University’s resources and opportunities. Read More

  • Housing Policies: Threatening Behavior

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Participation in activities or behavior that threaten or impact the health and safety of individuals or the community is prohibited. This policy includes, but is not limited to, physical, electronic, written and verbal interactions that are either direct or indirect which are prohibited within housing communities an... Read More

  • Student Housing: Principles of Community

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies Restricting Freedom of Conscience
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Everyone who chooses to live in, work in, or visit our residential communities must understand that we will not tolerate any form of bigotry, harassment, intimidation, threat, or abuse, whether verbal or written, physical or psychological, direct or implied. Alcohol or substance abuse, ignorance, or humorous intent ... Read More

  • Code of Student Conduct: Principles of Community

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Our legacy for an increasingly multi­cultural academic community and for a learning climate free from expressions of bigotry is drawn from the United States and California Constitutions and from the charter of the University of California, which protects diversity and reaffirms our commitment to the protection of la... Read More

  • Sec. 700-18: Guidelines on Discrimination and Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Harassment (hostile environment) is unwelcome conduct, including verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct, directed at an individual or group of people based upon race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability,... Read More

  • University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Sexual Harassment is when: … unwelcome sexual or other sex-based conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably denies, adversely limits, or interferes with a person’s participation in or benefit from the education, employment or other programs or activities of the University, and creat... Read More

  • Code of Student Conduct: Policy on Speech and Advocacy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    The University has a special obligation to protect free inquiry and free expression. On University grounds open to the public generally, all persons may exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech, and assembly. Such activities must not, however, interfere with the right of the Universi... Read More

  • University of California: Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment- DOE-Covered Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: August 16, 2022

    Conduct is DOE-Covered Conduct if all of the below are true: … The alleged conduct is DOE Sex-Based Misconduct, meaning it is any of the following: … unwelcome sexual or other sex-based conduct (as defined in Section II of the Policy) that a reasonable person would determine is so severe, pervasive, and objectively ... Read More

Policies are rated on their inclusion of 10 due process safeguards. Each policy may receive 2 points for fully including that safeguard, 1 point for partial inclusion, and 0 points for no meaningful inclusion. Most, but not all, institutions have separate policies for sexual misconduct and all other misconduct. See FIRE’s Spotlight on Due Process report for more information.

Grades

Sexual Misconduct

D
8/20
  • Meaningful presumption of innocence
  • Timely and adequate written notice
  • Time to prepare with evidence
  • Impartial fact-finders
  • Meaningful hearing process
  • Right to present to fact-finder
  • Right to meaningful cross-ex
  • Active participation of advisor
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Unanimity or clear and convincing evidence

Non-Sexual Misconduct

C
9/20
  • Meaningful presumption of innocence
  • Timely and adequate written notice
  • Time to prepare with evidence
  • Impartial fact-finders
  • Meaningful hearing process
  • Right to present to fact-finder
  • Right to meaningful cross-ex
  • Active participation of advisor
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Unanimity or clear and convincing evidence

Title IX

B
13/20
  • Meaningful presumption of innocence
  • Timely and adequate written notice
  • Time to prepare with evidence
  • Impartial fact-finders
  • Meaningful hearing process
  • Right to present to fact-finder
  • Right to meaningful cross-ex
  • Active participation of advisor
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Unanimity or clear and convincing evidence

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 54.22

Rankings / out of 203 colleges ranked
Overall Ranking 43
Openness 20
Tolerance (Liberals) 136
Tolerance (Conservatives) 128
Administrative Support 26
Comfort 51
Disruptive Conduct 174

Administrative Behavior
Supported Scholars 0
Sanctioned Scholars 0
Successful Disinvitations 0

Climate
Speech Climate AVERAGE
Speech Code YELLOW

  • College Republicans event featuring Israeli reservists disrupted at UC Irvine

    May 8, 2018

    Last Thursday, protesters at the University of California, Irvine disrupted a panel discussion featuring members of the Israeli organization Reservists on Duty that was hosted by the university’s College Republicans chapter. The event, which featured members of the Israel Defense Forces, was running as planned through the first 40 minutes before a group of protesters… Read more

  • Chemerinsky and Gillman create free speech checklist for college administrators

    September 15, 2017

    Last week, Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman—the dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and the chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, respectively—issued a short free speech checklist for college administrators. Although the list is intended to help college administrators navigate the contours of the First Amendment, it also serves as… Read more

  • UC Irvine Report Suggests Unconstitutional Implementation of ‘Principles Against Intolerance’

    November 29, 2016

    Last March, FIRE reported on the University of California (UC) Board of Regents’ “Principles Against Intolerance,” aimed at addressing anti-Semitism and other biases on campus. The Principles were revised multiple times in response to public criticism, but as we noted when the UC Regents adopted the Principles, even the amended version fails to make clear… Read more

  • Listen In: Greg to Debate Microaggressions at UC Irvine Tomorrow Evening

    October 5, 2015

    FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff will join a panel discussion tomorrow at the University of California, Irvine, at 7pm PDT (10pm EDT), titled The future of speech and ‘microaggressions’ on college campuses. The panel, hosted by Southern California Public Radio’s AirTalk, features a diverse set of speakers, including college professors and a comedian, debating… Read more

  • University of California Schools Flout Student Speech Rights

    November 29, 2011

    While some University of California schools are facing scrutiny due to their handling of students’ exercises of free speech and civil disobedience, others in the system have unfinished business protecting students’ free speech rights in their policies. All eight of the UC universities reviewed by FIRE have “red light” or “yellow light” ratings for restricting campus… Read more

  • Dershowitz on Free Speech at UC Irvine

    February 25, 2011

    At The Huffington Post, Alan Dershowitz, renowned civil liberties litigator and member of the Board of Editors for FIRE’s guides to student rights, serves up his take on the right to speak and the right to hear at UC Irvine, in connection with a controversial event covered previously on The Torch.

  • Criminal Charges for Student Protesters Who Disrupted UC Irvine Event

    February 7, 2011

    Nearly one year ago today, a few dozen people substantially disrupted a speech by Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, who was speaking at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in the UCI Student Center for a public lecture on "U.S. Israel Relations from a Political and Personal Perspective." The lecture was sponsored… Read more

  • Punishment of Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine Debated in ‘Los Angeles Times’

    June 21, 2010

    The disciplinary recommendation of a year-long suspension for the Muslim Student Union (MSU) at the University of California, Irvine, is the subject of debate today in the Los Angeles Times. As reported here on The Torch last week, the university suspended the entire group—as opposed to simply pursuing charges against the individual students who participated… Read more

  • UC Irvine’s Muslim Student Union Suspended for Disruption of Oren Lecture

    June 14, 2010

    A few months ago, Adam wrote about an incident at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), during which Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, was repeatedly disrupted by protesters, including members of UCI’s Muslim Student Union. UCI took a firm stand against the protesters’ tactics, and several students faced disciplinary charges following the… Read more

  • Disruptive Protesters Face Disciplinary Consequences at UC Irvine

    February 10, 2010

    On Monday, a few dozen people disrupted a speech by Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, who was speaking at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), in the UCI Student Center for a public lecture on "U.S. Israel Relations from a Political and Personal Perspective." The lecture was sponsored by 10 campus bodies including the Department of… Read more

  • ‘Free Speech and Double Standards’

    October 3, 2007

    Be sure to check out Stuart Taylor’s hard-hitting piece in the National Journal on “Free Speech and Double Standards” in academia. With regards to Columbia’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Taylor points out: It would be easier to stomach the free-speech grandstanding of Lee Bollinger, Columbia’s president and Ahmadinejad’s histrionically hostile host, and others of Bollinger’s ilk if… Read more

  • FIRE on the Radio Today on Academic Freedom Cases in California

    September 21, 2007

    Today at 12:15 p.m. ET (9:15 a.m. PT), FIRE President Greg Lukianoff will participate in a broadcast panel discussion on academic freedom in the wake of the canceled speech by former Harvard President Larry Summers to the UC Board of Regents and the controversy surrounding Erwin Chemerinsky’s new position as dean of the UC–Irvine law… Read more

  • David Bernstein on Summers, Chemerinsky, and Academic Freedom

    September 20, 2007

    Professor David Bernstein of George Mason University School of Law (and a Volokh Conspiracy blogger) has a great article in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times about the contrast between the University of California’s handling of Erwin Chemerinsky (shameful but ultimately corrected) and Larry Summers (shameful and uncorrected). Adam covered the Summers controversy in some depth in… Read more

  • Larry Summers and ‘Academia at Its Worst’

    September 19, 2007

    It was disappointing to learn that the University of California (UC) withdrew its speaking invitation to former Harvard president Lawrence H. Summers after the invitations had gone out. The main pressure appears to have originated with a petition organized by faculty at UC Davis who argued that Summers “has come to symbolize gender and racial… Read more

  • Reversal: Chemerinsky Coming Back to UC Irvine

    September 17, 2007

    Capping off a bizarre few days, the Los Angeles Times is reporting this afternoon that legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky will in fact serve as the dean of the University of California–Irvine’s new law school when it opens in 2009. Chemerinsky had discussed the situation in a Los Angeles Times op-ed just this past Friday, criticizing… Read more

  • Erwin Chemerinsky and the Danger of the Partisan Dance

    September 14, 2007

    It’s difficult to get through three years of law school and not hear the name of noted constitutional law scholar Erwin Chemerinsky; if you take the bar exam you’ve likely spent a lot of time listening to him teach (Chemerinsky lectures on constitutional law are a mainstay of what is likely the most popular bar… Read more

  • The Danger of “Hate Speech”

    May 31, 2007

    Often, while reviewing a school’s policies or the text of an administrator’s speech, I encounter promises of free speech tempered by the idea of hate speech: “While free speech is an integral part of this institution, hate speech is unacceptable and will be punished.” However, most of what universities call “hate speech” is free speech,… Read more

  • Respecting Free Speech at UC Irvine

    June 8, 2005

    UC Irvine’s Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Manuel N. Gomez wrote an opinion piece about freedom of speech that was posted today in the campus newspaper. His article is an excellent example of an administrator who understands the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech, the Supreme Court precedents for what constitutes protected speech, and his… 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

  • Discrimination by doughnut at UCI

    September 27, 2003

      IRVINE – As the recall election dominates headlines and newscasts, the racial-data measure on the Oct. 7 ballot, Proposition 54, has seen little public debate. That is, except at the University of California, Irvine. On Thursday, students argued and nearly came to blows over a controversial bake sale – stopped only when a UCI… Read more

  • FIRE Letter to University of Washington Vice President for Student Affairs Ernest R. Morris, January 15, 2003

    January 15, 2003