School Spotlight

University of California, Santa Cruz

Location: Santa Cruz, California
Type: Public
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Speech Code Rating

University of California, Santa Cruz 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

  • Principles of Community

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
    Last updated: April 16, 2020

    UC Santa Cruz expects that every campus member will practice these Principles of Community. We strive to be: Diverse: We embrace diversity in all its forms and we strive for an inclusive community that fosters an open, enlightened and productive environment. Open: We believe free exchange of ideas requires mutual r... Read More

  • Policy IT-0003: Policy for Acceptable Use of UCSC Electronic Information Resources

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: April 16, 2020

    All users of UCSC eIRs are expected to comply with applicable laws and regulations, University and campus policies, and contractual obligations. These include, but are not limited to, the UC ECP, Section 502 of the California Penal Code, and the following specific policies and expectations. Violations may result in ... Read More

  • Student Policies and Regulations Handbook: 40.00 Policy on Use of University Properties

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
    Last updated: April 24, 2020

    40.40 On University grounds open to the public generally, as may be described in campus implementing regulations, all persons may exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech, assembly, and worship (including the distribution or sale of noncommercial literature incidental to the exercise... Read More

  • Report Hate: University Principles

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
    Last updated: April 16, 2020

    The University of California, Santa Cruz expressly prohibits students from engaging in conduct constituting unlawful discrimination, harassment or bias. In keeping with the UCSC Principles of Community, we expect students and their guests to refrain from any acts or behaviors that are directed at other members of th... Read More

  • Student Policies and Regulations Handbook: 30.00 Policy on Speech and Advocacy

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: April 16, 2020

    Freedom of thought, inquiry, speech and lawful assembly are fundamental rights of all persons. These rights include: • The freedom to express opinions; • To hear, express and debate various views, no matter how unpopular; • To voice criticism. Free speech is uniquely important to the University as it brings about a ... Read More

  • University of California: Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 15, 2020

    Sexual Harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: … such conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably denies, adversely limits, or interferes with a person’s partici... Read More

  • Student Policies and Regulations Handbook: 100.0 Code of Student Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 16, 2020

    102.09 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. Harassment includes, but is... 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

  • ‘California Watch’: No Free Speech at California Colleges

    January 7, 2011

    Free speech is not safe at California colleges—not by a long shot. That’s what investigative reporter Erica Perez found in FIRE’s 2011 speech code report, as she wrote yesterday for California Watch: A new report from a national free speech advocacy organization found most of the four-year universities it surveyed had speech codes that substantially limit students’… Read more

  • Five University of California Campuses Missed the Memo on New Discriminatory Harassment Policy

    March 19, 2010

    As the great UC San Diego free speech crisis unfolded, I noticed that UCSD had missed the memo from President Mark C. Yudof regarding the new Universitywide discriminatory harassment policy as of October 2009. (FIRE has a good idea about exactly why the policy was changed at that time, but that is a story not… Read more