3 UW Resources
This section provides online resources that cover the University of Washington’s perspective and policies toward freedom of speech on its campuses. These readily available websites provide practical information and inform you on how to safely practice free speech within the university’s parameters.
UW Policies & Resources:
University of Washington Freedom of Expression Resources
This webpage leads to information regarding freedom of expression on campus. It has links and further resources for different facets of school life and their policies regarding this topic. It includes academic rights for faculty members, events & use of university facilities (UUF), University policy, student speech, political activity, and religious activity. Based on the wording of these web pages, these policies apply to UW campuses overall. This resource could act as a starting point for students to gain an understanding of how freedom of speech is defended and enacted on campus.
Administrative Policies & Procedures – University of Washington Tacoma, Campus Safety & Secruity
This webpage provides information regarding the procedures and policies that are enforced on UW’s Tacoma campus. It has a section specifically for demonstrations, protests, and rallies. It also contains a set of guidelines and expectations for what is and is not permitted at such events. It also clarifies that any violence or disruptions will be met with intervention from local law enforcement.
This page from Environmental Health and Safety provides a downloadable link to a Word document detailing what students, visitors, and campus personnel should do in the event of a demonstration or protest on the Seattle campus. This document provides instructions on what to do should the situation turn violent and create a state of emergency.
Handbill Distribution – University of Washington
This link explains the policy on distributing handbills, leaflets, and other printed media on UW’s campus. This page explicitly references WAC Chapter 478-136-030, which discusses the “limitations on use” regarding handbills. There is also a link to a PDF document that details the policy in greater depth in relation to the HUB. It covers what is considered unacceptable to hand out on campus, what would be considered an unapproved location, etc.
Policies and Procedures Manual: Free Speech, University of Washington Bothell
This PDF details the policies and procedures for displaying freedom of expression on UW’s Bothell campus. It states that its policy follows Chapter 478-136 of the Washington Administrative Code and elaborates on what resources and facilities can be provided. It also explains what activities are allowed on campus and what is prohibited, lest they cause a disturbance or obstruction.
University of Washington | The Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression,The Fire
This website is dedicated to defending the fundamental rights of college campuses, particularly the rights of the individual and the right to freedom of expression. It informs and ranks the broader public on how well free speech is advocated and protected by colleges and universities across the United States. This ranking depends on several policy ratings (i.e., Executive Order No. 31: Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action, etc.) culminating into a speech code rating. Many of these codes are as recent as 2023, others from 2021.
