School Spotlight
University of Florida
Location:
Gainesville, Florida
Type:
Public
Speech Code Rating
University of Florida has been given the speech code rating Green. Green light institutions are those colleges and universities whose policies nominally protect free speech.
Read more
This school has adopted the chicago statement for free speech.
University Regulations: Campus Demonstrations
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: April 15, 2021Demonstrations may be held anywhere on the campus, so long as they do not disrupt the normal operation of the University or infringe on the rights of other members of the University community, except that no demonstrations are permitted inside University buildings. Read MoreThe Orange Book: Violations of the Student Conduct Code- Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: April 15, 2021Threats, intimidation, Coercion, or any other conduct that places a Reasonable person in fear of physical harm, through words or actions, or objectively disrupts a person’s daily activities, including education and employment. Harassment does not include conduct protected by the First Amendment. Read MoreRESPECT: Purpose of the RESPECT Team
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: April 15, 2021The purpose of the RESPECT Team is to provide impacted parties of bias incidents opportunities to be heard and supported; understand and respond to situations that affect the University of Florida; educate and inform the community; and create awareness of ignorance and intolerance. The RESPECT Team provides ser... Read MoreUniversity Regulations: Distribution of Printed Material
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: April 15, 2021The Distribution of Printed Material is permitted on campus in Limited Designated Public Forums that the University chooses to open for this purpose. … Manned Distribution of Printed Material is permitted, but Printed Material, whether sold or distributed without charge, may not be left unattended unless place... 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
FIRE surveyed roughly 37,000 students at 154 colleges and universities about the climate for free speech at their institutions. In 2021, FIRE released rankings of those schools, based on a number of factors, including openness, tolerance, self-expression, administrative support for free speech, and campus policies, scoring overall speech climate on a scale from 0-100. See the full report on FIRE’s 2021 College Free Speech Rankings for more information.
Rankings / out of 154 colleges surveyed |
|
| Overall Ranking | 19 |
| Ideological Diversity | 76 |
Overall / out of a top score of 100 |
|
| Overall Score | 64.82 |
| Openness | 10.27 |
| Tolerance (Liberals) | 9.88 |
| Tolerance (Conservatives) | 7 |
| Administrative Support | 6.16 |
| Comfort | 15.94 |
| Disruptive Conduct | 9.57 |
| Speech Code | GREEN |
University of Florida: Faculty Reportedly Told To Avoid Words ‘Critical’ And ‘Race’ In Course Design
December 2, 2021
On November 30, 2021, Christopher Busey, a professor at the University of Florida, filed a grievance alleging that he was pressured not to use the words “critical” or “race” in his curriculum and program design. On December 2, FIRE wrote to UF arguing that directing faculty to avoid specific words in course titles or program… Read more
University of Florida: Professors Barred from Testifying in Voting Rights Case Against State
November 1, 2021
On October 29, 2021, The New York Times reported that the University of Florida was prohibiting three professors from testifying in a voting rights lawsuit brought against the state. The following day, the university said it had “denied requests of these full-time employees to undertake outside paid work that is adverse to the university’s interests… Read more
University of Florida: Reaffirmation of Right to Show Documentary
November 29, 2007
The University of Florida drew criticism from FIRE after the administration was critical of students promoting an event showing the controversial film “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West.” Several student groups-including UF’s Law School Republicans, College Republicans, Jewish Student Union, and Jewish Law Students Association-had posted fliers to advertise a November 13, 2007, screening… Read more
University of Florida’s chilling message to faculty: Abide by House Bill 7 because our funding’s on the line
May 10, 2022
FIRE seeks faculty willing to stand up to defend the First Amendment Last month, as Florida enacted House Bill 7 — the first anti-“critical race theory” bill in the country to directly limit classroom discussion in higher education — FIRE wrote Florida’s public universities and colleges, including the University of Florida, warning that some provisions… Read more
Report finds University of Florida COVID-19 research was not tainted by officials
May 6, 2022
There is seemingly good news in the Sunshine State after three professors at the University of Florida concluded that the university and state officials did not order the destruction of Covid-19 research data, or put undue barriers in place to prevent sharing of the data. An ad hoc faculty report published in December 2021 had… Read more
10 Worst Colleges for Free Speech: 2022
February 2, 2022
There’s no shortage of colleges and universities that will go to great lengths to stifle free speech. Some institutions are worse than others, which is why each year for over a decade, FIRE compiles a list of the worst-of-the-worst. Since our first list in 2011, FIRE has named and shamed 80 institutions in 33 states for… Read more
Judge: University of Florida can’t enforce conflict-of-interest policy to ban faculty testimony
January 21, 2022
In a scathing opinion this morning, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the University of Florida’s controversial conflict-of-interest policy, which UF administrators had invoked to prevent three political science professors — Sharon Austin, Michael McDonald, and Daniel Smith — from testifying in a voting rights lawsuit against the state of Florida. As that… Read more
University of Florida faculty senate report: University restricted COVID-19-related research
December 8, 2021
In the midst of controversies over the state of academic freedom at the University of Florida, the UF faculty senate has released a report raising further concerns, including that the administration and external sources may have interfered with faculty research about the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, the UF faculty senate’s Ad Hoc Committee on Academic… Read more
After testimony dustup, University of Florida reportedly censoring ‘critical’ and ‘race’ in syllabi
December 2, 2021
For a public university with top-notch free speech promises, what’s happening at the University of Florida is a case study in how quickly things go wrong when politicians commandeer control of the classroom. In just over a month, UF has become entangled in two major free speech controversies: First, sparking national outrage and a lawsuit… Read more
University of Florida task force recommends ‘strong presumption’ that faculty can testify in state-involved litigation
November 30, 2021
Last week, a University of Florida task force issued a report proposing revisions to university policy governing approval of faculty members’ outside activities. UF President Kent Fuchs accepted the recommendations and is “asking the appropriate offices to proceed with implementation.” Once translated into policy, the recommendations should better protect faculty members’ First Amendment right to… Read more
Congressional committee to investigate University of Florida over testimony ban
November 18, 2021
The University of Florida is facing a congressional investigation over its controversial decision, since reversed, to prohibit three professors from testifying in a voting rights case against the state of Florida. On Thursday, Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz sent a letter to UF leadership announcing an investigation by the House… Read more
VICTORY: University of Florida reverses course on controversial professor testimony ban
November 5, 2021
The University of Florida has backed down after a nationwide academic freedom furor over its ban on professors offering expert testimony against the state in a voting rights case. The New York Times broke the story late last Friday, arguing that the ban represented “an extraordinary limit on speech that raises questions of academic freedom… Read more
In letter to University of Florida, FIRE demands university rescind controversial decision banning professors’ voting rights testimony
November 1, 2021
Following the University of Florida’s decision to prohibit three professors from serving as experts in voting rights litigation — because, the university claims, their testimony will be “adverse” to the state of Florida’s interests — FIRE has written a letter calling on UF to change course. The New York Times first reported on UF’s controversial… Read more
FIRE statement on University of Florida decision to prevent professors from testifying in voting rights lawsuit
October 30, 2021
FIRE is deeply concerned by a report in The New York Times that the University of Florida has barred three professors from participating as witnesses in a voting rights lawsuit against the state of Florida. FIRE has said it before, and we’ll say it again: The profound civic importance of fair trials requires the ability… Read more
Campus-specific analyses of the climate for free expression reveal stark differences between schools
May 15, 2020
One feature of debates over college students’ attitudes toward free expression is disagreement over whether recent examples of illiberalism on campus are a component of a larger generational shift in attitudes towards free expression. A dearth of systematically collected data on the attitudes toward free expression held by previous generations of college students hampers a… Read more
Shouting down speakers doesn’t work
October 24, 2017
Our nation’s commitment to the principles and ideals of free speech is most often tested in the face of expression that many people reject as repugnant and harmful. So it was when the federal government attempted to stifle communist expression during the Red Scare and the Cold War. So it was in the 1970s, when… Read more
Public colleges, the cancellation of white nationalist events, and the First Amendment
August 16, 2017
As the nation reels from the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia, two public colleges this week have canceled or disallowed campus events featuring white nationalist Richard Spencer. Yesterday, Texas A&M University canceled a “White Lives Matter” event, featuring Spencer, planned for Sept. 11. This morning, the University of Florida denied a request from Spencer’s organization, the… Read more
Universities Give Students Frightening Halloween Assignment: Pick a Costume
October 31, 2016
Is your “exhausted undergrad” costume ready for tonight’s festivities? That might be one of the frighteningly few outfit choices remaining if you attend a university expecting you to avoid “cultural appropriation” this year. And beware: The rules are petrifyingly hard to follow. While institutions are well within their rights to suggest costume considerations to their… Read more
Student Government Commends U. of Florida for Earning ‘Green Light’ Rating
May 7, 2015
Last August, the University of Florida (UF) revised its policies to eliminate all undue restrictions on student free speech rights, becoming the 19th institution to earn FIRE’s highest Spotlight rating—a “green light.” (Last month, George Mason University became the 20th.) It’s encouraging to see the number of green light schools grow, and just as encouraging… Read more
‘Las Vegas Review-Journal’ Tells UNLV to Commit to Free Speech
September 4, 2014
Yesterday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal published an editorial lamenting that students are returning to college campuses where free speech too often falls victim to speech codes. As the editorial notes, opposition to the First Amendment is all too common on campus. Using FIRE’s recent case at the University of Oregon as an example, where a… Read more
Azhar Majeed’s Simple Message to College Administrators: End Censorship, or Else
September 3, 2014
My colleague Azhar Majeed, Director of FIRE’s Individual Rights Education Program, published an op-ed in The Huffington Post yesterday with an important back-to-school message for college administrators: Eliminate speech codes, or get ready to head to court.
Modesto Junior College’s Lawyer: Colleges, Dump Your Speech Codes
August 22, 2014
Every advocate dreams of winning over an opponent, but it rarely happens. It’s just possible, though, that FIRE might have done so. David Urban of the law firm Liebert Cassidy Whitmore has written a thorough and insightful post on his firm’s blog advising colleges and universities to review their speech-related policies to insulate themselves from the threat of litigation—like FIRE’s new Stand Up For Speech Litigation Project.
University of Florida Earns FIRE’s Highest Rating for Free Speech
August 13, 2014
GAINESVILLE, Fla., August 13, 2014—The University of Florida (UF) has eliminated all of its speech codes, earning the highest, “green light” rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). After working with FIRE to ensure its policies comply with the First Amendment, UF has joined a select group of colleges and universities nationwide to earn FIRE’s most favorable rating for free speech on campus.
Student Spotlight: Kelly Barber, a Leader for Liberty and Student Rights at U. of Florida
April 22, 2014
Kelly Barber stands out as a leader at the University of Florida (UF) and has been actively involved with FIRE, most recently attending FIRE’s Leaders in Student Rights Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Kelly, now a member of Students For Liberty’s North American Executive Board, says she experienced the undeniable benefits of free and open debate when she began attending College Libertarian meetings, where she was “blown away by the environment of integrity, critical thinking, and tolerance they created” that allowed students “to exchange ideas on a level much higher than anything I ever experienced in classes.”
Why Free Press Shouldn’t Have a Price
July 30, 2012
Shelli Gimelstein is a FIRE summer intern. Next to squirrels and Apple products, student newspapers are perhaps the most ubiquitous items on a college campus. You can see them peeking out of backpacks during the morning rush to class, sticking out amid a sea of coffee cups in the study lounge, or lying flat on… Read more
U of Florida Seems to Have Control Issues When it Comes to Student Newspapers
July 19, 2012
This is an odd one. A controversy is brewing at the University of Florida over the administration’s demand that century-old student newspaper The Independent Florida Alligator remove 19 of its signature orange newspaper racks from campus. Why is this happening? I have no idea, and the Alligator doesn’t seem to either. Here’s a segment of… Read more
Compelling ‘Civility’
June 1, 2012
Earlier this week, an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education (subscription required) discussed the growing popularity on college campuses of programs aimed at promoting civility. While one might reasonably ask whether there is a connection between exorbitant tuition rates, administrative bloat, and programs such as the "transformational, saturation approach" civility projects discussed in the… Read more
University of Florida Revises 2011 Speech Code of the Year; Many Problems Remain
January 12, 2012
Just one day after FIRE announced that the University of Florida (UF) maintained the only remaining Speech Code of the Year for 2011, UF deleted the offending language from its policy. UF earned co-Speech Code of the Year "honors" for its Student Rights and Responsibilities policy, which warned students that "Organizations or individuals that adversely… Read more
Victory for Free Speech: California’s Chico State Scraps Unconstitutional ‘Speech Code of the Year’
January 4, 2012
Today’s press release announces a welcome victory: After FIRE named California State University-Chico’s definition of sexual harassment one of two “Speech Codes of the Year” for 2011, the university has scrapped the language in question. As of mid-December 2011, Chico State maintained an informational page on sexual harassment stating that faculty members committed sexual harassment… Read more
Speech Codes of the Year: 2011
December 27, 2011
Each month, FIRE singles out a particularly reprehensible campus speech code for our Speech Code of the Month designation. While all of 2011’s Speech Codes of the Month flagrantly violated students’ and faculty members’ right to free expression, two of them were so egregious that they deserve special mention as 2011’s Speech Codes of the… Read more
Speech Code of the Month: University of Florida
April 1, 2011
FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for April 2011: The University of Florida. According to the University of Florida’s (UF’s) Student Rights and Responsibilities policy, “Organizations or individuals that adversely upset the delicate balance of communal living will be subject to disciplinary action by the University.” Come again? If there has ever been… Read more
Former Student Wins Public Records Suit Against University of Florida
January 18, 2011
The Independent Florida Alligator reports that a Florida state court has ruled in favor of University of Florida (UF) graduate Frank Bracco, who filed suit against the university after it denied him access to video and audio recordings of UF Student Senate meetings. UF had claimed that the recordings were confidential educational records under the… Read more
Victory for Religious Liberty at University of Florida, But Freedom of Association Still in Jeopardy
February 4, 2009
University of Florida (UF) has revised its student organization policy to recognize the right of religious organizations to limit membership and leadership positions to those who share the group’s religious beliefs. This policy might sound obvious, but it is not. Student affairs officials often get confused about religious freedom and the freedom of association. They… Read more
The strange case of ‘Obsession’ at the University of Florida
January 28, 2008
You know how colleges and universities write themselves off as bastions of free and controversial thought? Ha. Funny story. A couple of months ago, a number of student groups at the University of Florida-including the College Republicans, the UF Law School Republicans, the Jewish Student Union, Gators for Israel, and the Jewish Law Students Association-planned… Read more
Florida Throws In the Towel
December 14, 2007
It seems that the administration at the University of Florida (UF) has completely capitulated in its conflict with the First Amendment. Last month, several student groups at UF posted flyers advertising the showing of a movie about Islamic terrorism with the headline, “RADICAL ISLAM WANTS YOU DEAD.” In response, Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia… Read more
University of Florida Victory on FOXNews.com
December 12, 2007
FIRE’s victory at the University of Florida was featured in a news brief on FOXNews.com’s Special Report with Brit Hume. Click here for the full text of the article.
Victory for Free Speech at the University of Florida
December 10, 2007
After FIRE and the Attorney General of Florida intervened, the University of Florida (UF) has lifted its pressure on student groups to apologize for putting up posters advertising the film “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West.” Several student groups—including UF’s Law School Republicans, College Republicans, Jewish Student Union, and Jewish Law Students Association—had put… Read more
Victory for Free Speech at the University of Florida
December 10, 2007
GAINESVILLE, Fla., December 10, 2007—Student groups at the University of Florida (UF) will be allowed to freely promote the controversial film “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West” following a controversy with the school’s administration. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) intervened after a university official e-mailed the student body demanding an apology… Read more
Florida Attorney General Challenges University of Florida on Free Speech
December 5, 2007
On Monday, Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum wrote the University of Florida (UF) about the “chilling effect on the free speech rights of students” caused by an official letter sent to all students by Dr. Patricia Telles-Irvin, UF’s Vice President for Student Affairs. Telles-Irvin had taken issue with the posters that students had put up… Read more
Different Angles on the UF Tasering
September 18, 2007
One thing I’ll readily admit is that as more video of the incident surfaces, the situation looks a lot worse for University of Florida student Andrew Meyer, the student tasered by UF police for disrupting a speech by John Kerry and resisting arrest. In this video you see that he was being quite disruptive, and… Read more
Florida college student tasered at John Kerry campus forum
September 18, 2007
A University of Florida student who was arrested and Tasered during a forum featuring Sen. John Kerry not only touched off a national debate about campus free speech but also a discussion on whether campus police went too far. A judge released Andrew Meyer, 21, a student at the University of Florida, from jail Tuesday… Read more
Buckeyes vs. Gators: Clash of the (Unconstitutional) Titans
January 8, 2007
Tonight, millions of Americans will watch the Ohio State Buckeyes battle the Florida Gators for college football’s national championship. Beverages and junk food will be consumed, face paint will be applied, and fight songs will be bellowed until voices go hoarse. (Indeed, I imagine that in many parts of Ohio and Florida, all of these… Read more