Red Light School

University of Alabama at Birmingham

A red light university has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech. Read more here.

Public or Private: Public
Federal Circuit: Eleventh Circuit
Head of Institution: President Carol Z Garrison
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1530 3rd Avenue S
Birmingham, AL 35294-1150
205-934-4636
cgarrison@uab.edu
Website: http://www.uab.edu

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Do you have any information, updates, or changes regarding the policies at this institution? Let us know!

On this page, FIRE has excerpted policies that address speech and expression. You may download the full policy in .pdf form, below.

Restrictions on Expressive Rights

Harassment Policies (Learn More)

Green light: Non-Academic Student Conduct 12-13

Harassment. Violations include, but are not limited to:
Any act, display, or communication that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her personal safety. This includes, but is not limited to, physical coercion and/or restraint.
Any act, display or communication that causes substantial injury and/or distress on the part of the person or persons to whom it is specifically directed that results in the individual being deprived of educational activities or opportunities.
Any attempt to willfully and repeatedly make contact with a person over his/her stated objections, when such contact serves no legitimate purpose.
View full policy (PDF, 911 KB).

Green light: Non-Academic Student Conduct 12-13

Sexual harassment of any person, defined as any unwelcome, gender-based verbal or physical conduct that is sufficiently severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it unreasonably interferes with, limits or deprives someone of the ability to participate in or benefit from the University's educational program and/or activities and is based on power differentials, the creation of a hostile environment or retaliation.
View full policy (PDF, 911 KB).

Red light: Equal Opportunity and Discriminatory Harassment Policy 12-13

In keeping with its commitment to maintaining an environment that is free of unlawful discrimination and in keeping with its legal obligations, UAB prohibits unlawful harassment (and discouraging conduct that, while not unlawful, could reasonably be considered unwelcome).
Under the law, sexual harassment does not refer to occasional compliments or conduct of a socially acceptable nature. Nor does it refer to the use of materials or discussion related to sex and/or gender for scholarly purposes appropriate to the academic context. It does refer to non-academic remarks or actions of a sexual nature that are not welcome and are likely to be viewed as personally offensive. This can include but is not limited to any of the following activities that are unwelcome by the recipient: physical or verbal advances; sexual flirtations; propositions; verbal abuse of a sexual nature; vulgar talk or jokes; degrading graphic materials or verbal comments of a sexual nature about an individual or his or her appearance; the display of sexually suggestive objects outside a scholarly context and purpose; and physical contact of a sexual or particularly personal nature.
UAB’s policy prohibits discriminatory harassment of a non-sexual nature, which includes verbal, physical, or graphic conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability unrelated to job performance, veteran status, genetic or family medical history, or other status protected by applicable law and that

* Has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, educational, or living environment; or
* Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or a student’s academic performance. ... Prohibited behavior may, for example, include conduct or material (physical, oral, written, or graphic, including e-mail messages, text messaging or use of social media posted or circulated in the community) involving epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, or threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts, that serves no scholarly purpose appropriate to the academic context and gratuitously denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability unrelated to program performance, veteran status, genetic or family medical history, or any factor protected by applicable law.
View full policy (PDF, 300 KB).

Yellow light: Residence Hall Handbook: Harassment 11-12

Threatening, intimidating, and/or verbally abusing anyone is
not tolerated in our residence halls and is grounds for disciplinary
action.
View full policy (PDF, 29 KB).

Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility (Learn More)

Yellow light: Non-Academic Student Conduct 12-13

Threatening or causing physical harm, verbal abuse, intimidation, coercion, retaliation, bullying or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health and safety of any member of the student body, faculty, staff, group or visitor to the university.
View full policy (PDF, 911 KB).

Yellow light: Residence Hall Handbook: Student Housing Community Expectations 11-12

Student Housing respects and celebrates the diversity of its residents. Acts of intolerance and/or harassment
due to race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation are neither appropriate nor tolerated.
View full policy (PDF, 50 KB).

Policies Restricting Freedom of Conscience (Learn More)

Yellow light: Student Handbook: UAB Commitment 12-13

I will strive to build an
inclusive community at
UAB.
I believe that every
student, faculty member
& staff has the right to
be treated with dignity,
respect, and self-worth.
I will work to ensure that
my behavior and my
actions do not harass or
make fun of anyone due
to their race, gender,
culture, faith, class,
sexual orientation or any
other difference.
Although I know I am
not perfect and I will
make mistakes, I
believe that it is my
responsibility to act in a
manner free of bias,
exclusion, and
discrimination.
I believe I have the
power to build an
inclusive UAB!
View full policy (PDF, 625 KB).

Free Speech Zones

Yellow light: Student Organization Policies: On-Campus Demonstrations 12-13

Student demonstrations on the UAB campus, which by their nature may interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic or other activities, shall require prior notification to the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee at least 48 hours in advance of the event.
View full policy (PDF, 35 KB).

Internet Usage Policies

Red light: UAB Information Technology: Policy Violations 12-13

Creating, displaying, or transmitting threatening, racist, sexist, or harassing language and/or materials.
View full policy (PDF, 75 KB).

Other Speech Codes

Yellow light: Non-Academic Student Conduct 12-13

Non-Academic misconduct may include, but is not limited to the following: ... Other behaviors which are inappropriate in an educational environment.
View full policy (PDF, 911 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Green light policy: Non-Academic Student Conduct 12-13

The University of Alabama at
Birmingham exists to educate its students,
to advance, preserve and disseminate
knowledge through research and
scholarship, and to advance the interests
and the welfare of society as a whole. Free
inquiry and free expression are indispensable
to the attainment of these goals.
View full policy (PDF, 911 KB).

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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in August 2012. According to FIRE’s research the substantive policies are current at least until this date. Directory information, including the name of the president of the college or university, may have been updated more recently. If any policy has been revised, or if you believe that we are in error, please contact us.