School Spotlight
University of Rochester
Location:
Rochester, New York
Type:
Private
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.
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Standards of Student Conduct: Student Sexual Misconduct Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 30, 2021Sexual 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 MoreStandards of Student Conduct: Student Policy Against Harassment and Discrimination
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 30, 2021Harassment 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 MoreStandards of Student Conduct: Student Code of Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: September 30, 2021Harassment 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 MoreAcceptable Use Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: September 30, 2021Use e-mail, social networking sites or tools (http://tech.rochester.edu/security/social-media/),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 unwanted mail, or by using someone else’s name ... Read MoreStandards of Student Conduct: Student Code of Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Other Speech Codes
Last updated: September 30, 2021Possible 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 MoreBias-Related Incident Response
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: September 30, 2021A 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, gender identity or expression,... Read MoreStandards of Student Conduct: Student Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment- Academic Freedom and Free Speech
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: September 30, 2021The success of the University of Rochester depends on an environment that fosters vigorous thought and intellectual creativity. It requires an atmosphere in which diverse ideas can be expressed and discussed. The University seeks to provide a setting that respects the contributions of all the individuals composing i... 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
University of Rochester: Professor Suspended for Quoting Racial Slur in Class
December 6, 2021
On September 21, 2021, University of Rochester English Professor David Bleich read aloud from Harvard Law School Professor Randall Kennedy’s article about whether it is “acceptable for pedagogical purposes to enunciate the epithet ‘nigger’,” enunciating the word himself, following a class discussion about the issue. Bleich did so to prepare students for a discussion on… Read more
FIRE joins calls for University of Rochester to end suspension of English professor who quoted racial epithet in class
December 6, 2021
We’ve seen it time and time again: A professor assigns a relevant text containing racial epithets — whether it’s the work of an acclaimed African American author or a landmark Supreme Court decision — and quotes aloud from it verbatim. Outraged, offended students demand the university punish the professor. Some institutions defend their faculty members’… Read more
As student debates about Hong Kong continue, U.S. universities must be prepared to respond to free speech controversies
December 4, 2019
The mass protests that have swept Hong Kong in recent months are unlikely to cease anytime soon. What is likely, though, is that this movement will continue to spread protests of both support and opposition at campuses around the world. Are American universities prepared for the free speech challenges posed by the often passionate student… Read more
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