Free Speech at UCLA

Climate

Speech Climate: Average

Speech Code: Green

 

"Green light"institutions are those colleges and universities whose policies nominally protect free speech.

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I. I. University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment (Sex-Based Misconduct Not Covered by Department of Education Regulations)

• Speech Code Rating: Yellow

• Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies

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​a. Sexual Harassment is when: ... unwelcome sexual or other sex-based conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably denies, adversely limits, or interferes with a person’s participation in or benefit from the education, employment or other programs or activities of the University, and creates an environment that a reasonable person would find to be intimidating or offensive.

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II. UCLA Regulations on Activities, Registered Campus Organizations, and Use of Properties

• Speech Code Rating: Green

• Speech Code Category: Advertised Commitments to Free Expression

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The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is committed to assuring that all persons may exercise the constitutionally protected rights of free expression, speech, assembly, and worship.

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III. UCLA Regulations on Activities, Registered Campus Organizations, and Use of Properties

• Speech Code Rating: Green

• Speech Code Category: Protest and Demonstration Policies

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GROUNDS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and midnight, paved pedestrian walkways and lawns on University property are generally open to the public, except those:
1. Within areas reserved for classes, public performances, organized activities, or special events;
2. On vehicular driveways, streets and parking lots; or
3. On and adjacent to public entrances to the hospital and outpatient clinics, except as provided for in the specific regulations governing the Center for the Health Sciences area. (See Appendix 1-A)

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On University grounds generally open to the public (as defined in these regulations), individuals, Authorized Student Governments, and Registered Campus Organizations may assemble and engage in discussion or non-amplified speech, including the solicitation of signatures on non-commercial petitions, provided that such activity does not disrupt the orderly operation of the campus, or submit individuals to practices that would make them involuntary audiences or place them in reasonable fear, as determined by the University, for their personal safety.

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IV. UCLA Principles of Community

• Speech Code Rating: Green

• Speech Code Category: Policies on Tolerance, Respect, and Civility

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We do not tolerate acts of discrimination, harassment, profiling or other conduct causing harm to individuals on the basis of expression of race, color, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, religious beliefs, political preference, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship or national origin, among other personal characteristics. Such conduct violates UCLA's Principles of Community and may result in imposition of sanctions according to campus policies governing the conduct of students, staff and faculty.

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We acknowledge that modern societies carry historical and divisive biases based on race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation and religion, and we seek to promote awareness and understanding through education and research and to mediate and resolve conflicts that arise from these biases in our communities.

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[... UCLA’s Principle of Community (“Principles”) is best understood as a hortatory document that articulates institutional aspirations and values. The Principles do not create positive law (e.g., substantive policies that define prohibited conduct). Nor do the Principles dictate the university’s procedures for enforcing positive law. The Principles do, however, refer to positive law and procedure (“. . . campus policies governing the conduct . . .”). These “campus policies” include the UCLA Student Conduct Code and the University of California SVSH Policy, both of which have received a Green Light rating from FIRE. - Letter from UCLA Vice Chancellor Jerry Kang to FIRE, June 19, 2018.]

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V. University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment: DOE Sex-Based Misconduct

• Speech Code Rating: Green

• Speech Code Category: Harassment Policies

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DOE-Covered Conduct. Conduct is DOE-Covered Conduct if all of the below are true: ... The alleged conduct is DOE Sex-Based Misconduct, meaning it is any of the following: ... unwelcome sexual or other sex-based conduct (as defined in Section II of the Policy) that a reasonable person would determine is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denied the Complainant equal access to the University’s programs or activities; ...