School Spotlight

University of Wyoming

Location: Laramie, Wyoming
Type: Public
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Speech Code Rating

University of Wyoming 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

  • Student Code of Conduct: Definitions

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: September 4, 2018

    “Harassment” is words, conduct or action (usually repeated or persistent) that, being directed at a specific person, annoys, alarms, or causes substantial emotional distress in that person and serves no legitimate purpose. Read More

  • Student Code of Conduct: Offenses Against Persons

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: September 4, 2018

    Verbal, written or graphic abuse, including threats, intimidation, harassment, coercion or other conduct that creates a climate of fear or which is reasonably expected to cause mental or emotional distress. Read More

  • Sexual Misconduct Policies and Procedures Document for Faculty, Staff, and Students

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: September 4, 2018

    D. Hostile environment sexual harassment. Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently serious that it affects an individual’s ability to participate in or benefit from an education program or activity, or creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment. Read More

  • UW Regulation 4-2: Discrimination and Harassment

    Speech Code Rating: Yellow
    Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
    Last updated: December 7, 2018

    Harassment: Verbal or physical conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work or academic performance or creates an intimidating or hostile work or educational environment. This definition encompasses specific conduct and behaviors defined in UW Regulation 4-3 (Title IX and Sexual Misconduct). ... Read More
At present, FIRE has not been publicly involved in any cases at this school.

  • Documentary on 1969 student-athlete protest paves way for better solutions

    July 31, 2018

    In a short documentary detailing one of the earliest student-athlete free speech cases, filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe and producer Spike Lee tell the story of 14 University of Wyoming football players dismissed from the team for asking their coach’s permission to protest on the field. The documentary and the 1972 court case it describes parallel… Read more

  • University of Wyoming to Host Much-Needed Discussion on Freedom of Expression

    September 13, 2010

    We haven’t been that nice to the University of Wyoming here on The Torch in recent months. Then again, the university’s recent antics—banning education professor and former Weather Underground leader William Ayers from speaking on the campus and then losing $86,000 of Wyoming taxpayer money trying to defend this indefensible decision in court—haven’t made it… Read more

  • How FIRE Tried to Save Wyoming Taxpayers $86,000

    July 12, 2010

    We’ve written a number of times here about the University of Wyoming’s ill-advised and unconstitutional attempts to prevent education professor and former Weather Underground leader William Ayers from speaking on the UW campus after he was duly invited. We predicted that this effort would fail miserably and expensively, and we were, of course, right. Most… Read more

  • Citizens of Wyoming Docked $50,000 for UW’s Disregard of the First Amendment

    May 21, 2010

    The drama surrounding the recent appearance of Professor William Ayers at the University of Wyoming has come to an end, it seems, and an expensive end at that. Ayers and UW student Meg Lanker agreed to drop their lawsuit against the university after UW agreed to pay $50,000 in legal fees for the plaintiffs, the… Read more

  • Ringing Endorsement of the First Amendment in University of Wyoming Court Defeat

    April 28, 2010

    As we reported yesterday, U.S. District Judge William Downes was unconvinced by the University of Wyoming’s defense of its ban of education professor and co-founder of the Weather Underground Bill Ayers, and ordered that Ayers be allowed to speak on campus in Downes’ decision yesterday afternoon. As Adam noted, FIRE and other civil liberties advocates… Read more

  • Federal Court Orders University of Wyoming to Allow Ayers to Speak

    April 27, 2010

    In a true "dog bites man" story for those who follow FIRE or are conversant with the First Amendment, the Associated Press is reporting that a federal judge has ordered the University of Wyoming to allow University of Illinois-Chicago professor and former Weather Underground leader William Ayers to speak on its Laramie campus. FIRE has… Read more

  • ‘Heckler’s Veto’ Crumbling in Wyoming Court after Ayers Cancellation

    April 27, 2010

    Free speech is winning points against violent agitators in the wake of the University of Wyoming’s choice to ban from speaking on campus controversial education professor William Ayers, whose former organization Weather Underground once made a point of being violent agitators. As Peter described last Thursday, students and faculty at the University of Wyoming (UW)… Read more

  • After Cancellation of Ayers Appearance, University of Wyoming Students Rally for Free Speech

    April 22, 2010

    Today, students and faculty at the University of Wyoming (UW) are holding a demonstration in support of free speech in the wake of a cancelled appearance by education professor and Weather Underground co-founder Bill Ayers. Ayers  has sued the university following two failed attempts to bring him to the campus. Ayers had originally been scheduled… Read more