School Spotlight
University of Maine
Location:
Orono, Maine
Type:
Public
Speech Code Rating
University of Maine 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
This school has adopted the chicago statement for free speech.
Campus Eyes: Police Department
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: August 15, 2022The University of Maine police need YOUR help in stopping crime on campus. If you have information about a crime or other improper activity and would like to report it anonymously, please use the form below. … What type of activity would you like to report? … Bias/Hate Activity Read MoreUniversity of Maine System Policy on Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Relationship Violence, Stalking and Retaliation and Title IX Sexual Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, including sexual assault and sexual violence. Sexual harassment, including sexual assault, can involve persons of the same or opposite sex. Consistent with the law, this policy p... Read MoreUMaine Bias Response Team: FAQ
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: August 15, 2022What is a bias incident? A bias incident is an intentional or unintentional conduct that discriminates, stereotypes, excludes, harasses, or harms anyone in our community based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, a... Read MoreUniversity of Maine System: Sexual Harassment in the Classroom and the Workplace
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, including sexual assault and sexual violence. Sexual harassment, including sexual assault, can involve persons of the same or opposite sex. Sexual harassment can include: sexual ... Read MoreUniversity of Maine System Student Conduct Code: Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022Harassment: Severe or pervasive unwelcome conduct, including but not limited to: comments; jokes; acts; other verbal or physical conduct or bullying, that may be based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Policies & Regulations- Free Speech and Assembly Policy
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022The University of Maine fully supports and encourages free speech, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. There are no designated free speech zones at UMaine. The entire campus is open for free speech and assembly. … It is required of those planning events, activities, and speakers on campus to use the... Read MoreUniversity of Maine System Policy Manual: Section 212 – Free Speech, Academic Freedom, and Civility
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: August 15, 2022The Board of Trustees is committed to protecting the rights all University community members share to free speech, which includes free expression and assembly, as enshrined in the U.S. and Maine State Constitutions. There shall be no restriction at any System institutions on these fundamental rights, although the Un... Read MoreGuide to Campus Living: Solicitation/Posting/Gambling Policies
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022Posting Materials in the residence halls: … Notices of items for sale (personal property), lost and found, rides needed etc. may be posted in the halls by hall residents on designated spaces/bulletin boards. Read MoreUniversity of Maine System Policy on Sex Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Relationship Violence, Stalking and Retaliation and Title IX Sexual Harassment: Title IX Sexual Harassment Definitions
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022The Title IX regulations define Sexual Harassment as conduct on the basis of sex that must satisfy one or more of the following: … Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to UMS’ education program... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Policies & Regulations- Free Speech and Assembly Policy
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: August 15, 2022The University of Maine is committed to free and open inquiry and expression in all matters. It guarantees all members of the university community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn. With the exception of certain limitations (time, place, manner) on that freedom which are nec... Read MoreStudent Handbook: Policies & Regulations- Acceptable Use of Information Resources
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: August 15, 2022Consistent with the above, unacceptable uses and behaviors include, but are not limited to: … • Harassing other computer users or University staff • Violating the privacy of others • Libeling or slandering others • Using any University workstation for any illegal purpose Read More
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 |
|
| Overall Ranking | 94/154 |
| Ideological Diversity | 7/159 |
Overall / out of a top score of 100 |
|
| Overall Score | 58.96 |
| Openness | 9.03 |
| Tolerance (Liberals) | 9.58 |
| Tolerance (Conservatives) | 7.57 |
| Administrative Support | 6.02 |
| Comfort | 16.65 |
| Disruptive Conduct | 10.11 |
| Speech Climate | |
| Supported Scholars | |
| Sanctioned Scholars | |
| Successful Disinvitations | |
| Speech Code | YELLOW |
June 2019 Speech Code of the Month: University of Maine
June 3, 2019
It’s bad enough that the University of Maine forces its students to provide notice three days before they can hold any expressive activities in the outdoor areas of the campus. But even worse, the school specifically requires students to contact the university’s chief of police in order to do so. This heavy-handed approach is… Read more
Proposed University of Maine System policy unduly restricts faculty political activity
January 17, 2018
The University of Maine System Board of Trustees will consider a policy revision at a meeting later this month that would restrict how university employees engage in political activity. The policy, called “Institutional Authority on Political Matters,” unnecessarily restricts faculty political expression and needs some revisions before being adopted. For example, the policy would prevent… Read more