University of Texas at Austin
Location: Austin, Texas
Website: http://www.utexas.edu
Type: Public
Federal Circuit: 5th Circuit
Speech Code Rating
University of Texas at Austin has been given the speech code rating Red. A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more here.
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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 22, the UT Objectivism Society was informed by ECB that its request for funding had been denied. When questioned by the group about its reasons for rejecting the funding request, ECB replied only that it was “unable to disclose any information regarding the deliberation process […]
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Red Light Policies
Information Security Office: Acceptable Use Policy for University Students
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018V. REQUIREMENTS: … Be civil. Do not send rude or harassing correspondence. … What are the consequences for violating the rules listed in Section V of this document?
Punishment for infractions includes, but is not limited to: * Verbal warnings * Revocation of access privileges * Disciplinary probation * Suspension from the university * Criminal prosecution
University Catalog: Appendix D- POLICY ON SEX DISCRIMINATION, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, AND STALKING
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018Sexual Harassment:
Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that can occur when …
- unwelcome physical acts of a sexual nature, or unwelcome requests for sexual favors or other verbal conduct of a sexual nature, that have the effect of creating an objectively hostile environment that substantially interferes with employment or education on the basis of sex; or
- such conduct is intentionally directed towards a specific individual and has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with that individual’s education, employment, or participation in University activities, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive atmosphere.
…
Sexual Misconduct:
Behavior or conduct of a sexual nature that is unprofessional and/or inappropriate for the educational and/or working environment. Behaviors that may constitute sexual misconduct include, but are not limited to
- repeatedly engaging in sexually oriented conversations, comments, or horseplay, including the use of language or the telling of jokes or anecdotes of a sexual nature in the workplace, office, or classroom, even if such conduct is not objected to by those present;
- gratuitous use of sexually oriented materials not directly related to the subject matter of a class, course, or meeting, even if not objected to by those present….
Handbook of Operating Procedures 3-3020: Nondiscrimination Policy
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018- Harassment 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, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression when such conduct is sufficiently severe, pervasive or persistent so as to have the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s or group’s academic or work performance; or of creating a hostile academic or work environment.
- Verbal conduct is defined as oral, written, or symbolic expressions that:
- personally describe or is personally directed at a specific individual or group of identifiable individuals; and
- is not necessary to an argument for or against the substance of any political, religious, philosophical, ideological, or academic idea.
Constitutionally protected expression cannot be considered harassment under this policy. **
Campus Climate Response Team
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: January 25, 2018Do you know of a student organization hosting a party with a racist theme?
Have you seen derogatory graffiti on bathroom walls and buildings regarding sexual orientation or gender identity and expression?
Have you overheard malicious threats intended to intimidate another person because of their religion?
Are you worried that somebody has created a hostile or offensive classroom environment?
Do you have concerns about a campus climate incident but you are not sure what to do?
If so, please contact the Campus Climate Response Team by submitting your concerns using the Campus Climate Incident Online Report Form.
Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Student Discipline and Conduct
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: January 25, 2018Notwithstanding any action taken by civil authorities or agencies charged with the enforcement of criminal laws on account of the violation, the dean may initiate disciplinary proceedings under subchapter 11-300 against a student who … otherwise engages in the following acts of inappropriate conduct that hold the potential to interfere or disrupt the teaching function of the University: pranks, repeated contact of a harassing nature through a personal or electronic medium, and berating or otherwise abusive behavior.
Residence Hall Manual: Harassment
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018Members of an educational community should adhere to standards of civility and good taste that reflect mutual respect. A respectful environment is free of harassment, violence and verbal abuse. It is the policy of the University to maintain an educational environment free from harassment and intimidation.
In an effort to foster an environment free from harassment and intimidation, Residence Life is committed to responding appropriately to acts of racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism and any other force that seeks to suppress another individual or group of individuals. When acts of harassment or intimidation occur in the residence hall environment, the Residence Life staff, in conjunction with the Residence Hall Council, may lead a floor or hall meeting to discuss the incident and decide, as a community, appropriate steps that need to be taken to address the incident.
Residents who are suspected to have engaged in harassment as defined in the Institutional Rules will be referred to the Dean of Students for possible disciplinary action.
Residence Hall Manual: Incivility
Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility
Last updated: January 25, 2018Students are expected to behave in a civil manner that is respectful of their community and does not disrupt academic or residential activity. Uncivil behaviors and language that interfere with the privacy, health, welfare, individuality, or safety of other persons are not permitted.
Residence Hall Manual: Cyber-Stalking and Bullying
Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018Using electronic media, such as the Internet, email, or other electronic communications devices, to repeatedly threaten or harass another person is a crime. Cyber-stalking is similar to physical stalking in that the stalker’s intended purpose is to exert or maintain control over their victim. In many cases, the person being stalked is familiar with the stalker. Cyber-bullies send hateful e-mails, postings, or text messages to taunt their targeted victims.
Residents who are suspected to have engaged in cyber-stalking or bullying will be referred to the Dean of Students for possible disciplinary action.
Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 13- Speech, Expression, and Assembly
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: January 25, 2018The freedoms of speech, expression, and assembly are fundamental rights of all persons and are central to the mission of the University. Students, faculty members, and staff members have the right to assemble, to speak, and to attempt to attract the attention of others, and corresponding rights to hear the speech of others when they choose to listen, and to ignore the speech of others when they choose not to listen.
Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Student Discipline and Conduct
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018Harassment is defined as conduct that is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent to create an objectively hostile environment that interferes with or diminishes the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by the University.
Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities: Chapter 13- Speech, Expression, and Assembly
Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies
Last updated: January 25, 2018Subchapter 13–900. Public Assemblies without Amplified Sound
Sec. 13–901. General Rule on Public Assemblies
- “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.
- University persons and organizations may publicly assemble on campus in any place where, at the time of the assembly, the persons assembling are permitted to be. This right to assemble is subject to the rules in this subchapter, to the general rules in subchapter 13–200 and subchapter 13–300, and to the rules on use of University property in chapter 10 of the Institutional Rules. No advance permission is required.
Sec. 13–902. Reservation of Space
- Registered student, sponsored student, faculty, or staff organizations and academic or administrative units who wish to publicly assemble in a particular room or space at a particular time may reserve the room or space under the provisions in subchapter 10–200 of the Institutional Rules.
- A registered student, sponsored student, faculty, or staff organization or academic or administrative unit with a reservation has the right to the reserved room or space for the time covered by the reservation. Any person or organization using or occupying the room or space without a reservation must yield control of the room or space in time to permit any student, faculty, or staff organization or academic or administrative unit with a reservation to begin using the room or space promptly at the beginning of its reserved time.
- Reservations are not required but are strongly encouraged. An academic or administrative unit or registered student, sponsored student, faculty, or staff organization planning to use a room or space without a reservation may find the facility locked or in use by another person or organization. A large group without a reservation is likely to attract the courteous but inquiring attention of the University of Texas Police Department.
Sec. 13–903. Notice and Consultation
Registered student, sponsored student, faculty, or staff organizations that are planning a public assembly with more than fifty participants are strongly encouraged to notify and consult with the dean of students as soon as practicable after the point at which the planners anticipate or plan for more than fifty participants. Registered student, sponsored student, faculty, or staff organizations planning smaller assemblies are encouraged to consult the dean of students if there is uncertainty about applicable University rules, the appropriateness of the planned location, or possible conflict with other events. The dean of students can help the planners avoid unintended disruption or other violations that may result in subsequent discipline or subsequent interference with the assembly by campus authorities.
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Texas campuses face delicate balance between free speech and hateful public expression
February 21, 2017
by Ashley Landis at Houston Chronicle Texas universities’ public speech policies are colliding with hateful expressions on campuses. Read more here.
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Political Correctness Deep in the Heart of Texas
November 23, 2016
By Mark Pulliam at The American Spectator For all I know, the political climate at the University of Texas at Austin is no better or no worse than at any other major university, but since I am a UT alumnus and live in Austin, I pay closer attention to UT. Many readers would assume that Texas, being a conservative state, would be immune to leftist posturing at its flagship state university, but sadly, UT’s administrators and faculty seem to be striving for Ivy League status as a caricature of political correctness run amok. I have previously reported (e.g., here and here) on UT’s […]
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University of Texas Issues 29-Point Checklist on Offensive Halloween Costumes
October 28, 2016
By Brian Bensimon at The College Fix Leave your cowboy boots and Hawaiian leis at home this Halloween unless you want to hear from University of Texas-Austin administrators… Read more here.
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Colleges Unconvincingly Portray their Bias Response Teams as ‘Educational,’ not Punitive
September 13, 2016
By Greg Piper at The College Fix Whenever you see a college justify a particular administrative response as “educational,” your BS detector should go off… Read more here.
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Deflating UT Austin’s Free Speech Protest
September 7, 2016
By Cam Edwards at America’s 1st Freedom The calendar and the thermometer might not show it, but fall has come to the campus of the University of Texas in Austin. The Longhorns are the talk of campus this week with a surprise upset over Notre Dame in the first game of the football season, students are back in class, and the campus is settling into the academic and social routine of another school year. This year, of course, campus carry is now in effect. But it doesn’t appear to be having the impact on campus that its detractors foretold… Read more […]
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No Laughing Matter: College Comedy Papers Struggle with ‘Political Correctness’ Climate
May 13, 2016
By Allison Kowalski at SPLC Emmy Ballard knew it was time for an apology. It was 2010, and the comedy paper she was an assistant editor of, The Fish Rap Live!, had been accused by the student population at University of California, Santa Cruz of publishing racist content and some groups had even called for defunding the paper… Read more here.
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U. Of C. Holding Old-Fashioned Debate on Second Amendment and Gun Control
May 2, 2016
By Sam Cholke at DNA Info HYDE PARK — The University of Chicago is hosting an old fashioned debate on Tuesday on whether the Second Amendment to the Constitution should be amended… Read more here.
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Why the Activist Left Can’t Help its Intolerance
March 31, 2016
By John Daniel Davidson at The Federalist In ancient Rome, damnatio memoriae was the practice of condemning Roman elites and emperors after death. The phrase means, “the condemnation of memory,” and the idea was to dishonor people by erasing them from history, usually by seizing their property, removing their name from public monuments, and destroying or re-working their statues. As you might imagine, those subject to damnatio memoriae tended to be traitors or deposed emperors—like Maximian, who ruled Rome for a decade before he was forced to commit suicide by Constantine the Great in 310… Read more here.
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‘Victim-Centered’ Sex Assault Investigations Designed to Railroad Accused
March 17, 2016
By Ashe Schow at Washington Examiner A new “victim-centered, trauma-informed” approach to handling campus sexual assault appears at first glance to be an improvement on the current model of allowing campus administrators to play police, judge, jury and executioner. But look deeper into the new guidelines and one will see that this is far from an improvement and more an attempt to railroad accused students while looking impartial. Read more here.
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Preacher Given Disorderly Conduct Citation For Offending Students With His Message
February 16, 2016
By Tony Cantu at Patch.com AUSTIN, TX — University of Texas at Austin campus police recently issued a disorderly conduct citation to an outdoor preacher after student complaints his message had offended them. Read more here.
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Police Issue Citation to Preacher for Publicly Speaking Out Against STDs Which ‘Offended’ Texas University Students
February 14, 2016
By Jonah Hicap at Christian Today An evangelical preacher who publicly spoke out against sexually transmitted diseases and unsafe sexual practices off campus in Texas was issued a ticket by a police officer for disorderly conduct that offended students. Read more here.
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Cops Cite Preacher For ‘Offending’ Student
February 12, 2016
By Douglas Ernst at WND.com An Orwellian nightmare became a reality for an evangelical preacher this week when a cop near the University of Texas at Austin issued him a “disorderly conduct” citation for “offending” a student. Read more here.
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You Won’t Believe What Comes Out of This Cop’s Mouth After Preacher is Cited for ‘Offending’ Texas Students
February 11, 2016
By Nicole Haas at Biz Pac Review This should never happen in America, let alone in the freedom-loving state of Texas. Read more here.
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University Of Texas Police Give Preacher Citation For Offending Students
February 10, 2016
By Donald Kendal at The Daily Caller The University of Texas at Austin police department issued a disorderly conduct citation to an outdoor preacher on Tuesday after students complained that his message had offended them. The preacher, who was standing just off campus, recorded his interaction with several university police officers, who explained that it was illegal for him to offend the students. Read more here.
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Be Thankful for the Vigorous, Uncomfortable, Invaluable Clash of Ideas this Thanksgiving
November 26, 2015
By Greg Piper at The College Fix Arthur Brooks, the president of the American Enterprise Institute, wrote a great column in The New York Times on Sunday explaining the practical benefits of thankfulness in action. In that spirit, here are a few people I’m thankful for in the zany college world: The brave students at Princeton who not only spoke up against the rise of “intimidation and abuse” against people with certain viewpoints, but practically guaranteed they will suffer intimidation and abuse by signing their names to it. Their letter to President Christopher Eisgruber: Academic discourse consists of reasoned arguments. […]
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UT Chancellor: Removing Gun-Free Zones Will “Inhibit Our Freedom of Speech”
October 5, 2015
By Anthony Hennen at Red Alert Politics Opposition to conceal-and-carry on campus in Texas has cited safety concerns, but another argument is less familiar: the threat to free speech. William McRaven, the chancellor for the University of Texas system, said, “if you have guns on campus, I question whether or not that will somehow inhibit our freedom of speech.” New York Times op-ed columnist Frank Bruni agrees, saying the Texas law that allows gun owners to bring concealed weapons onto college campuses is “insanity.” “In Texas, there’s so little concern for college students’ physical safety that concealed firearms will be permitted in […]
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University of Texas-Austin And Some Students Choose Censorship Over More Speech
November 30, 2013
by Ken White at Popehat
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Myths, Realities, and Common Sense at Texas
November 6, 2013
by KC Johnson “We should be seeing 12,500 cases a year.” So spoke Jennifer Hammat, Title IX coordinator for the University of Texas. As FIRE’s Peter Bonilla tweeted, “That quote put differently: ‘we should be seeing 250-300 rapes/sexual assaults per week.’” Does anyone (apart, it seems, from Hammat) believe that there are 300 rapes each week at UT? To provide some statistical context, consider that FBI crime figures for the most recent year (2012) indicate that in New York state (population 19.5 million) there were 2848 instances of forcible rape. In the state of Texas–including the university, of course, and […]
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Why was this professor’s study scrutinized?
October 4, 2012
People disagree with scholarly studies all the time. So what made the University of Texas investigate a professor’s recent study? One angry, gay blogger, as it turns out. Previous studies have concluded that children raised in same—sex households do just as well in school and in life as their peers. University of Texas sociology professor Mark Regnerus tested that conventional wisdom with a study of 3,000 adults raised by straight, gay and bisexual parents. Result: Adults raised in same—sex households had higher rates of depression and dependence on welfare. Some gay rights groups denounced Regnerus as a bigot and denounced his study […]
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CULTURE DIGEST: Seizure of Texas prof’s computers, emails called troubling
September 7, 2012
Baptist Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) — Although University of Texas professor Mark Regnerus has been cleared of alleged research misconduct in a study of gay parenting, the seizure of his computers and 42,000 emails by university officials is troubling, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. “It seems to us that UT Austin should take a closer look at its rules to make sure that the provision for sequestration does not become an open invitation to hassle and discourage researchers working within politically charged topics,” the foundation said, according to Fox News. Regnerus, an associate professor of sociology, […]
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Speech Codes: Alive and Well at Colleges…
August 1, 2003
By Greg Lukianoff and Harvey Silverglate at The Chronicle of Higher Education 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 claim. A mere three years earlier, the faculty of the Harvard Law School had adopted “Sexual Harassment Guidelines” targeted at “seriously offensive” speech. The guidelines were passed in response to a heated campus […]
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ACLU Sues U. Maryland Over So-Called ‘Free-Speech’ Zones
December 19, 2002
By Sarah Lesher at University Wire
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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 would happen if the tool that allows us to be creative thinkers was no longer available on our campuses? What would happen if our institutions limited our expression? If I have learned anything from my time in college, it is that no two students are […]
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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 2016, three UT professors sued the university and its officials, alleging that UT’s enforcement of a state concealed-carry law violated their academic freedom. The professors argued that guns chill classroom discussion and that they should have the right to ban them for pedagogical reasons. After […]
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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 Joseph Weidknecht and half-a-dozen of her fellow anti-Trump protesters who surrounded him. Those protesters, who were later arrested, stole Weidknecht’s red “Make America Great Again” hat and two protest signs, and tried to light his T-shirt on fire. “I can handle myself in a brawl,” […]
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‘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 policies, was not received well by many in the UT Austin community. As reported by Campus Reform, the bake sale was thwarted when student protesters destroyed the Young Conservatives’ sign listing the prices and stole their baked goods. While FIRE takes no position on the […]
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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 students, in practice, young adults are choosing their outfits these days under unprecedented levels of scrutiny. This year, these regulations/“suggestions” have come in a variety of forms, including handouts, seminars, and even a “Simple Costume Racism Evaluation and Assessment Meter (or SCREAM)” modeled after the […]
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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 to attend Joe’s presentation and learn about their rights to freedom of speech and due process on campus. University of Houston When: Monday, October 6, 6:30 p.m. Where: Moody Towers Lobby University of Texas at San Antonio When: Tuesday, October 7, 6:00 p.m. Where: […]
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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.
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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. The aim of the event, YCT President Lorenzo Garcia said, was to spark debate and promote conversation about immigration issues. The YCT chapter at UT-Austin is no stranger to using provocative tactics in order to get people talking about issues, having previously conducted an “Affirmative Action Bake […]
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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 to YouTube showing Bush’s arrest at the hands of the UT police for what appears to be the crime of standing around on campus talking to students about his political views. Prepare to be appalled by what looks like a total and ridiculous overreaction on […]
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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’ dorm room windows. This week, the university has announced that it will permanently suspend the rule. This represents an important victory for freedom of expression at UT. In the case of the two students last fall, the university’s enforcement of its rule had the unfortunate consequence […]
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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 punishment equivalent to suspension or expulsion for posting political signs on their dormitory-room window, which inspired students across campus to vow to do the same in solidarity and in a noble exercise of the right to freedom of expression. Once student outrage reached a high […]
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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 on the candidates and the hot-button issues of the season. With this came some regrettable consequences. This year, we witnessed a number of colleges and universities prohibiting and punishing many forms of constitutionally protected political speech and activity. While the rights of students and faculty […]
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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 take the signs out of their window when asked. It looks like public exposure has had the predictable effect. We just received this e-mail from the president of the university, William Powers Jr., forwarded to us by a concerned student at UT–Austin: The University’s rule […]
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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 PM Wednesday evening to remove the signs; as of 9:30 PM, the signs remained posted. Both students have been told that failure to comply will result in an administrative block against registration for spring classes, a punishment equivalent to expulsion. The UT policies governing the […]
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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 sent to the Texas Board of Regents for approval. The original agreement between The Daily Texan and the Texas Board of Regents gave the Board complete final editorial control and liability for the content of the paper. The Board of Regents has recently proposed expanding […]
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