School Spotlight
University of Texas at Austin
Speech Code Rating
Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 13- Speech, Expression, and Assembly: Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 8, 2021“Harassment” means hostile or threatening conduct or speech, whether oral, written, or symbolic, that. is not necessary to the expression of any idea described in Subsection 13–204(b)(2); is sufficiently severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive to create an objectively hostile or threatening environ... Read MoreHandbook of Operating Procedures 3-3020: Nondiscrimination Policy
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 8, 2021Harassment: As a form of discrimination is defined as verbal or physical conduct that is directed at an individual or group because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, citizenship, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression... Read MoreHandbook of Operating Procedures 9-1810: Hate and Bias Incidents
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 8, 2021Harassment: as a form of discrimination is defined as verbal or physical conduct that is directed at an individual or group because of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, ideology, political views, or ... Read MoreInformation Security Office: Acceptable Use Policy for University Students
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: January 8, 2021Electronic communications should meet the same standards for distribution or display as if they were tangible documents or instruments. Identify yourself clearly and accurately in all electronic communications. … Examples of inappropriate use of resources are shown below. These actions frequently result in com... Read MoreInstitutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 11- Student Discipline and Conduct
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: January 8, 2021Notwithstanding any action taken on account of the violation by civil authorities or agencies charged with the enforcement of criminal laws, the dean of students may initiate disciplinary proceedings under subchapter 11–500, or make an incident report and determine discipline under HOP 3-3031 when there is a finding... Read MoreResidence Hall Manual: Computer Lab Policies
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: January 8, 20217. Respect others’ privacy. Don’t access their files and email, or send harassing and objectionable messages. … 11. Don’t access materials that may be distracting or offensive to other users. Read MoreInstitutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 13- Speech, Expression, and Assembly
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 8, 2021The freedoms of speech, expression, and assembly are fundamental rights of all persons and are central to the mission of the University. In accordance with this Chapter, students, faculty members, staff members, and members of the public have the right to assemble, to speak, and to attempt to attract the attention o... Read MoreHandbook of Operating Procedures 3-3031: Prohibition of Sexual Assault, Interpersonal Violence, Stalking, Sexual Harassment, and Sex Discrimination
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 8, 2021Sexual Harassment is unwelcome, sex-based verbal or physical conduct that qualifies as quid pro quo harassment or hostile environment harassment. (1) Types of Sexual Harassment. (a) Quid pro quo: An employee of the institution conditioning the provision of University aid, benefit, service or term of employment or ed... Read MoreInstitutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 13- Speech, Expression, and Assembly
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: January 8, 2021Subchapter 13–900. Public Assemblies Sec. 13–901. General Rule on Public Assemblies a. “Publicly assemble” and “public assembly” include any gathering of persons, including discussions, rallies, and demonstrations. The rules in Subchapter 13–800 apply to any use of amplified sound at a public assembly. b. Persons an... Read More
University of Texas at Austin: Lack of Transparency in Student Group Funding Raises First Amendment Concerns
March 28, 2014
In March 2014, the UT Objectivism Society applied for $1,920.64 in funding from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) Events CoSponsorship Board (ECB) to support a planned on-campus debate. ECB is staffed by students and supported with funding collected through UT’s mandatory student activity fees for the purpose of supporting student programming. On March… Read more
In victory for legal challenge to UT Austin’s speech codes, Fifth Circuit instructs courts to ‘be especially vigilant against assaults on free speech’
November 10, 2020
In a victory for students’ First Amendment rights, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit revived a lawsuit against the University of Texas at Austin. Reversing the district court’s dismissal of the lawsuit for lack of standing, the court reaffirmed that vague speech regulations, combined with potential penalties for violating those regulations,… Read more
University of Texas at Austin student government urges official adoption of ‘Chicago Statement’
February 22, 2019
Earlier this week, the student government at the University of Texas at Austin approved a resolution endorsing the body’s “support of free speech and free expression rights of all students.” The resolution urges the university administration to adopt the “Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression” at the University of Chicago (the “Chicago Statement”),… Read more
A Longhorn’s lessons in free speech
August 7, 2018
If the eyes are the windows to the soul, creativity is the key that unlocks the front door. As college students, we’re pushed to our limits in academic and extracurricular commitments alike; we are no strangers to stress. And sometimes, we’re left with only one option: to develop creative solutions to our problems. But what… Read more
University of Texas objects to own courtroom stance on academic freedom
July 23, 2018
The University of Texas at Austin is the second school in recent months to argue in court that its own institutional academic freedom supersedes that of its faculty. It’s a stance at odds not only with long-recognized principles of academic freedom, but also with — according to university officials — the university itself. Back in… Read more
FIRE Q&A: ‘Hero in a hijab,’ Amina Amdeen
February 1, 2017
The media dubbed University of Texas at Austin sophomore Amina Amdeen the “Hero in a Hijab” for physically shielding a Donald Trump supporter from attacks at a post-election “Love Trumps Hate” rally at the Texas Capitol on November 13. The Austin American-Statesman, Amdeen’s hometown paper, reported that the 19-year-old Amdeen wedged herself between 6-foot-6-inch, 350-pound… Read more
‘Affirmative Action Bake Sale’ Disrupted at UT Austin
November 4, 2016
Everyone loves a good bake sale, right? Well, apparently not. Last week, the University of Texas at Austin chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas held an “affirmative action bake sale,” where the prices of the baked goods varied depending on the racial identity of the purchaser. The event, which was designed to critique affirmative action… 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
Texas Students, FIRE’s Joe Cohn is Coming to a Campus Near You
October 6, 2014
Yeehaw! Joe Cohn, FIRE’s Legislative and Policy Director, will be traveling across the Lone Star State for a rootin’ tootin’ Texan campus tour. Students and faculty at or near the University of Houston, University of Texas at San Antonio, University of Texas at Austin, Texas State University at San Marcos, and Texas A&M are invited… Read more
Victory for Student Rights: UT Austin Restores Transparency in Funding Student Organizations
May 19, 2014
The assessment of mandatory student fees for the purpose of supporting a variety of student organizations and programming is commonplace at public universities. Distribution of these funds is often placed in the hands of students themselves, with the understanding—reinforced by multiple Supreme Court decisions—that this process must be content- and viewpoint-neutral. In the absence of transparency, however, the fair allocation of student fee funds can be threatened—as was until recently the case at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). Fortunately, in response to concerns raised by FIRE, UT is taking steps to ensure transparency is restored and funds are distributed even-handedly.
Threat of Honor Code Charges Causes Texas Student Group to Cancel Event
November 21, 2013
On Monday, the University of Texas-Austin (UT-Austin) chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) announced that it would host a “Catch an Illegal Immigrant” event on Wednesday, during which volunteers for the group would wear a label stating “illegal immigrant,” and other students would have the opportunity to “capture” them for a $25 gift card bounty…. Read more
University of Texas Police Arrest Man for Standing Around Talking about Politics
August 11, 2010
President Obama was at the University of Texas at Austin on Monday to give a speech and, as expected, the Presidential visit drew the usual complement of protesters and political activists. Among them was John Bush, the executive director of a group called Texans for Accountable Government, along with several others. A video has been posted… Read more
Victory for Freedom of Expression: University of Texas Permanently Suspends Window Posting Ban
July 30, 2009
Torch readers may remember that last fall, in the midst of the election season, the University of Texas at Austin (UT) threatened to punish two students if they did not remove political campaign signs that they had placed in their dormitory room window. Thankfully, after national media attention, the university came to its senses quickly and suspended its rule banning signs in students’… Read more
In Texas, First Amendment Imperiled in 2008
January 1, 2009
I’m not sure what happened down in Texas in 2008, but administrators at several schools have been unusually cowardly about even the slightest challenges to their ideas of good order on campus. During the election season there was the Great Non-Riot of 2008 at the University of Texas at Austin (UT), where two students faced… Read more
Repression of Political Speech and Activity Abounds on College Campuses in 2008
December 24, 2008
In an election year when the presidential race between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain dominated much of the country’s attention and media headlines, college and university campuses were certainly not immune to election fever. University students and faculty across the nation joined in the multitude of voices advocating for, criticizing, protesting, and otherwise commenting… Read more
Breaking News: UT–Austin Suspends Rule on Political Signs
October 9, 2008
Less than two hours ago, Will Creeley blogged about the University of Texas at Austin’s ban on political signs in dorm room windows, calling it "a silly, if not necessarily unconstitutional, ban on student expression in dorm windows and on dorm doors." Two students, Connor and Blake Kincaid, were to be punished for refusing to… Read more
Political Censorship at UT–Austin
October 9, 2008
Late yesterday afternoon, in a brazen act of censorship on campus, the University of Texas at Austin (UT) ruled against two students who have refused to remove political signs posted on their dormitory door and window, according to a report from The Daily Texan this morning. Connor Kincaid and Blake Kincaid reportedly had until 7… Read more
Student Paper at University of Texas at Austin Seeks Relief from Prior Review
December 15, 2006
Last week, the Student Press Law Center reported that the Texas Student Publications Board has removed the requirement of official prior review from its agreement with The Daily Texan, the University of Texas at Austin student paper and one of the only major college papers still subject to prior review. The new contract has been… Read more
Speech Codes: Alive and Well at Colleges
August 1, 2003
Five years ago, a higher-education editor for The New York Times informed one of us, Harvey Silverglate, that Neil L. Rudenstine — then president of Harvard University — had insisted that Harvard did not have, much less enforce, any “speech codes.” Silverglate suggested the editor dig deeper, because virtually any undergraduate could contest the president’s… Read more
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