School Spotlight
Wake Forest University
Location:
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Type:
Private
Speech Code Rating
Wake Forest University 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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Policy on Responsible and Ethical Use of Computing Resources
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Internet Usage Policies
Last updated: June 18, 2020Harassing, bullying or intimidating others, or otherwise engaging in conduct prohibited by University policies or applicable law. Read MoreUndergraduate Student Handbook: Minimum Expectations- Bullying/Cyberbullying
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Bullying Policies
Last updated: June 18, 2020Repeated and/or severe actions that intimidate or intentionally harm or control another person physically or emotionally. Examples of bullying and cyberbullying include: Sending mean or inappropriate text messages and emails; Posting humiliating pictures of someone else online for others to see; or Starting or perp... Read MoreUndergraduate Student Handbook: Minimum Expectations- Harassment
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: June 18, 2020Harassment is any unwelcome and persistent or pervasive conduct directed toward an individual or against a group that is based on that person’s or group’s actual or perceived race, color, age, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, veteran status, pregnancy statu... Read MoreUndergraduate Student Handbook: Minimum Expectations- Threatening Behavior
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Other Speech Codes
Last updated: June 18, 2020Written or verbal conduct that causes a reasonable expectation of physical, emotional, or psychological harm to the health or safety of any person or damage to any property. Read MoreGuide to Community Living: Chapter 4 – Policies and Procedures
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: June 18, 2020Residents have a right to: … Live free from fear of intimidation, physical, and/or emotional harm, and racial, sexual, or other prejudicial harassment. … Residents have the responsibility to: … Express themselves using open, authentic, and civil communication. Read MoreTitle IX: Definitions of Sexual Misconduct
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies
Last updated: June 18, 2020Sexual or gender-based harassment is a form of discrimination that includes verbal, written, or physical behavior, directed at someone, or against a particular group, because of that person’s or group’s sex, gender identity, actual or perceived sexual orientation, or based on gender stereotypes, when that behavior i... Read MoreEvent Management Procedures for Campus Social Functions with Alcohol
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Posting and Distribution Policies
Last updated: June 18, 2020Themes of registered social functions (including publicity materials) may not be sexually, racially, religiously, or ethnically offensive. Read MoreReport Bias: Frequently Asked Questions
Speech Code Rating: Yellow
Speech Code Category: Policies on Bias and Hate Speech
Last updated: June 18, 2020The expression of an idea or point of view some may find offensive or inflammatory is not necessarily a bias-related incident. Wake Forest values freedom of expression and the open exchange of ideas. The expression of controversial ideas and differing views is a vital part of University discourse. While this valu... Read MoreStrategic Plan Vision and Mission Statements
Speech Code Rating: Green
Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression
Last updated: June 18, 2020From its rich religious heritage, Wake Forest is committed to sustaining an environment where vital beliefs and faith traditions can engage secular thought in a climate of academic freedom and an unfettered search for truth. 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
FIRE surveyed roughly 37,000 students at 154 colleges and universities about the climate for free speech at their institutions. In 2021, FIRE released rankings of those schools, based on a number of factors, including openness, tolerance, self-expression, administrative support for free speech, and campus policies, scoring overall speech climate on a scale from 0-100. See the full report on FIRE’s 2021 College Free Speech Rankings for more information.
Rankings / out of 154 colleges surveyed |
|
| Overall Ranking | 151 |
| Ideological Diversity | 63 |
Overall / out of a top score of 100 |
|
| Overall Score | 52.34 |
| Openness | 9.34 |
| Tolerance (Liberals) | 9.78 |
| Tolerance (Conservatives) | 7.87 |
| Administrative Support | 5.84 |
| Comfort | 15.07 |
| Disruptive Conduct | 10.43 |
| Speech Code | YELLOW |
Wake Forest University: Investigation into ‘Build a Wall’ Instagram Post
March 28, 2019
In March 2019, a screenshot of an Instagram post was circulated on Twitter, where commenters described the content as “racist.” The post depicted a mock campaign advertisement, encouraging people to write-in a student’s name for class president. The post contained various mock campaign statements, including one that said the candidate wanted to “build a wall”… Read more
Wake Forest: Investigating speech ‘not in conflict’ with promising freedom
May 6, 2019
Wake Forest University’s leaders don’t think an investigation to uncover the identity of a parody’s author creates a chilling effect on future speakers. They are wrong, and their actions undermine the promise of free expression the university makes to its students. You may remember that, in March, FIRE wrote to Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North… Read more
Wake Forest wastes time, money investigating parody Instagram post
April 4, 2019
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., April 4, 2019 — Does Wake Forest University know that, historically, witch hunts haven’t gone well in places named Salem? Based on the Winston-Salem school’s decision to investigate a parody Instagram post, they do not — and now a controversy is brewing. Today, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education is calling on Wake… Read more
Wake Forest’s investigation of ‘build a wall’ Instagram post chills free speech
March 28, 2019
Wake Forest University has promised to investigate an anonymous Instagram post from last Friday that appears to be a parody of a student government campaign ad. Why? Because the post says the hypothetical candidate (who is a real student, but isn’t running for office and didn’t know about the post) wants to build a wall… Read more
REPORT: North Carolina is home to some of America’s best colleges for free speech
September 24, 2018
Eight colleges in North Carolina earn FIRE’s highest rating for free speech — more than in any other state — but 17 still maintain policies that substantially restrict student expression. PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24, 2018 — A new report finds that North Carolina’s colleges and universities lead the way nationally for protecting student free speech. The… Read more
Of saltines and speech codes
March 9, 2018
Bias Response Teams were in the news last month after a 2016 incident at Wake Forest University became the subject of national attention. For administrators at Wake Forest, a student being called a “mayonnaise monster” is sufficient grounds to investigate speech and remind students of the need to be “respectful.” According to the Old Gold… Read more
Speech Code of the Month: Wake Forest University
May 5, 2014
FIRE announces its Speech Code of the Month for May 2014: Wake Forest University. Wake Forest’s “Campus Posting” policy explicitly restricts student postings on the basis of their viewpoint. Not only does the policy ban any postings subjectively deemed “sexist,” “racist,” “derogatory,” or not in “good taste,” but it threatens violators with fines and disciplinary action. With this policy, Wake Forest places an impermissibly heavy burden on students wishing to express controversial political or social opinions on campus.