Red Light School

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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: Seventh Circuit
Head of Institution: Chancellor Phyllis Wise
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Swanlund Administration Building
601 E. John Street
Champaign, IL 61820
217-333-6290
pmwise@illinois.edu
Website: http://www.uiuc.edu

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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)

Red light: Housing Hallmarks: Your Community - Sexual Harassment 11-12

Sexual harassment is defined by law and includes any unwanted sexual gesture, physical contact, or statement that is offensive, humiliating, or an interference with required tasks or career opportunities.
View full policy (PDF, 377 KB).

Red light: Housing Hallmarks: Your Community - Harassment 11-12

Residents may not engage in conduct that threatens or endangers the health, safety, or physical or psychological well-being of any person. This includes, but is not limited to, actions related to a person's race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, objectionable epithets, demeaning depictions or treatment, outrageous acts or communications that are intended to harass, intimidate, or humiliate, and threatened or actual abuse or harm.
View full policy (PDF, 377 KB).

Green light: Student Code: Rules of Conduct 11-12

Conduct for which students are subject to discipline includes, but
is not limited to, the following: ... engaging in behavior which is so persistant, pervasive, or severe as to deny a person’s
ability to participate in the University community.
View full policy (PDF, 29 KB).

Yellow light: Equal Opportunity and Access Policy and Procedures: Campus Conduct 11-12

The following descriptions, while not all-inclusive, will help you understand behaviors that, if unwelcome, may constitute sexual harassment.

Unwanted sexual statements - sexual or "dirty" jokes, comments on physical attributes, spreading rumors about or rating others as to sexual activity or performance, talking about one's sexual activity in front of others, and displaying or distributing sexually explicit drawings, pictures and/or written material. Unwanted sexual statements can be made in person, in writing, electronically (email, instant messaging, blogs, web pages, etc.) and otherwise.
Sexual harassment is defined by law and includes requests for sexual favors, sexual advances or other sexual conduct when (1) submission is either explicitly or implicitly a condition affecting academic or employment decisions; (2) the behavior is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to create an intimidating, hostile or repugnant environment; or (3) the behavior persists despite objection by the person to whom the conduct is directed.
A hostile environment is defined as an environment on campus that, through harassing conduct (e.g., physical, verbal, graphic or written) based on a person's protected status (e.g., sexual orientation, age, etc.), becomes sufficiently severe, pervasive or persistent so as to interfere with or limit the ability of an individual to participate in or benefit from a University program or activity. ... There are many types of behaviors that can be harassing. Some examples are using derogatory terms, insults, telling derogatory jokes, taunting and intimidating actions.
View full policy (PDF, 730 KB).

Policies on Bias and Hate Speech

Yellow light: Office of the Dean of Students: Acts of Intolerance- Reporting 11-12

It is important to report all acts of intolerance no matter how insignificant one might perceive an incident to be. ... Incidents that are seemingly minor initially -- name calling, homophobic graffiti, racist slurs -- can escalate into more serious incidents, including violence, if unaddressed.
View full policy (PDF, 577 KB).

Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

Green light policy: Student Code: Student Rights and Responsibilities 11-12

Discussion and expression of all views is permitted within the University subject only to requirements for the maintenance of order.
A student at the University of Illinois at the Urbana-Champaign campus is a member of a
University community of which all members have at least the rights and responsibilities
common to all citizens, free from institutional censorship; affiliation with the University
as a student does not diminish the rights or responsibilities held by a student or any other
community member as a citizen of larger communities of the state, the nation, and the
world.
View full policy (PDF, 48 KB).

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The speech codes and policies above were last fully checked via internet and other research means by FIRE in June 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.