School Spotlight

University of Rochester

Location: Rochester, New York
Type: Private
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Speech Code Rating

University of Rochester 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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D

  • Standards of Student Conduct: Student Sexual Misconduct Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    Sexual Harassment is (1) any unwanted verbal, visual, written, electronic or physical conduct, of a sexual nature (2) that is intended to cause or could reasonably be expected to cause an individual or group to feel intimidated, demeaned, abused or fearful or have concern for their personal safety (3) because of the... Read More

  • Standards of Student Conduct: Student Code of Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    Harassment consists of any unwanted conduct that is intended to cause, or could reasonably be expected to cause, an individual or group to feel intimidated, demeaned or abused, or to fear or have concern for their personal safety—where this conduct could reasonably be regarded as so severe, persistent, or pervasive ... Read More

  • Acceptable Use Policy

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    In making acceptable use of resources, individuals covered by this policy must not: … Use e-mail, social networking sites or tools, or messaging services in violation of laws or regulations or to harass or intimidate another person, for example, by broadcasting unsolicited messages, by repeatedly sending unwan... Read More

  • Standards of Student Conduct: Student Code of Conduct

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Other Speech Codes
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    Possible violations of University standards or policies include: … Behavior that negatively impacts the normal pursuit of academic, administrative, extracurricular or personal activities, or that violates any University policies or rules. Read More

  • Bias-Related Incident Response

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    What is a Bias-Related Incident? A Bias-Related Incident is characterized as a behavior or act—verbal, written or physical—which is personally directed against or targets an individual or group based on perceived or actual characteristics such as race, color, religious belief, sex, marital status, sexual orientation... Read More

  • Standards of Student Conduct: Student Policy Against Harassment and Discrimination

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    Harassment is a form of discrimination which involves (1) unwelcome verbal, written, physical, or electronic conduct, (2) that is intended to cause or which could reasonably be expected to cause an individual or group to feel intimidated, demeaned, abused, or fearful, or to have concern for their personal safety, (3... Read More

  • Standards of Student Conduct: Statement of Communal Principles

    Speech Code Rating: Green
    Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
    Last updated: April 2, 2019

    The freedom of all people in a community of learning to ask questions and to seek answers is essential and actively encouraged. Each person has the right to learn, teach, and work – to express themselves through their ideas and activities – without threat to his or her education or career progress or to that of othe... 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
6/20
  • Presumption of innocence
  • Adequate and timely notice
  • Adequate time to prepare
  • Conflicts of interest prohibited
  • Right to challenge fact-finders
  • Access to all evidence
  • Right to face accuser and witness
  • Active participation of counsel
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Expulsion must be unanimous

Non-Sexual Misconduct

D
6/20
  • Presumption of innocence
  • Adequate and timely notice
  • Adequate time to prepare
  • Conflicts of interest prohibited
  • Right to challenge fact-finders
  • Access to all evidence
  • Right to face accuser and witness
  • Active participation of counsel
  • Meaningful right to appeal
  • Expulsion must be unanimous
At present, FIRE has not been publicly involved in any cases at this school.

  • University of Rochester may subject single gender organizations to arbitrary waiver process

    April 11, 2018

    UPDATE: The amendment passed and is now officially part of the Students’ Association constitution. FIRE will continue to watch the situation and encourages any students negatively affected by this policy to submit a case. Starting this Thursday and Friday, University of Rochester students will be voting on an amendment to the Students’ Association Government constitution that would… Read more

  • University of Rochester student government cracks down on single-gender organizations, gendered language

    May 19, 2017

    Members of single-gender organizations are facing a potential loss of privileges after the University of Rochester’s student government declared their membership practices “discriminatory.” The ruling from the judicial branch of the Students’ Association Government removes support for single-gender organizations on campus — including sports clubs, a cappella groups, and Greek organizations — and seriously restricts… Read more

  • The Futility of ‘Banning’ Yik Yak on Campus

    February 22, 2016

    On college campuses across the country, students and administrators are debating banning Yik Yak, a mobile phone application that allows its users—frequently college students—to anonymously communicate with one another in a given area. Yik Yak, like nearly all other means of communication, is a tool that can be abused. Just as Twitter attempts to grapple… Read more

  • Some U. of Rochester Students Just Don’t Get How Free Speech Works

    April 12, 2013

    Last week, I told you about the kerfuffle happening at the University of Rochester, where a professor, Steven Landsburg, has come under fire for hypothetical situations involving rape that he presented in a personal blog post. I praised university administrators for resisting the all-too-common urge to censor or punish the professor’s controversial expression, particularly since… Read more

  • University of Rochester and Towson U. Get It Right on Recent Controversies

    April 4, 2013

    It’s not often enough that FIRE gets to relay a good example of speech on campus, but today I’m happy to bring you not one but two schools that are fostering proper respect for values of free speech and liberty more generally on their campuses  The first comes from the University of Rochester, where economics… Read more

  • Robert in PJ Media on Limbaugh-Fluke Campus Fallout

    March 12, 2012

    In his most recent PJ Media article, FIRE’s Robert Shibley reported on the campus fallout from the recent kerfuffle about radio commentator Rush Limbaugh’s comments about Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke. University of Rochester (UR) economics professor Steven Landsburg took to his blog to partially defend Limbaugh’s comments and discuss the economic issues behind the… Read more