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Free Speech

California State Senate Bill 108, SEC. 219, 34

This notice complies with California State Senate Bill 108, SEC. 219, 34 by providing the following information:

Provision 1

The campus’s Time, Place and Manner (TPM) policies, which identify the allowable parameters of free speech activities and the campus.

Provision 2

The Student Code of Conduct, which identifies acceptable student behavior, and relevant state and federal laws, which delineate legal and illegal activities.

Title VI, Title IX

Federal law regarding the University’s responsibility to address discrimination, including expressive conduct, based upon certain characteristics.

Provision 3

The systemwide Nondiscrimination Policy, which ensures compliance with Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Provision 4

The process by which the campus will resolve any complaint of a violation of relevant institutional policies, state law, or federal law, including complaints against individuals not affiliated with the campus.

UCLA affiliates (i.e., staff, faculty and students) who are arrested for unlawful behavior or cited for a violation of UC or UCLA policies must be referred to the applicable office that reviews staff, and faculty and student codes of conduct. The applicable office must then review the underlying conduct of the staff member, faculty member or student under the applicable campus review process and may issue sanctions in accordance with applicable campus policies. Complaints against non-affiliates are referred to law enforcement for investigation.

Faculty, staff, union-represented staff and academic appointees are subject to various applicable policies, including those listed below:

Specifically for students, UCLA’s process is outlined under Section III. Student Conduct Procedures, in the Student Conduct Code. The Student Conduct Code also states: “Students may be subject to discipline on the basis of a conviction under any federal, California state or local criminal law, when the conviction constitutes reasonable cause to believe that the student poses a threat to the health or safety of any person, or to the security of any property, on University premises or at official University functions or to the orderly operation of the campus.”

The UCLA Civil Rights Office receives complaints and conducts investigations of all forms of discrimination, harassment and sexual violence to uphold civil rights protections for the UCLA community. When a member of the community reports an incident, one of the units within the Civil Rights Office will contact the individual who experienced the alleged harm. After engaging with that person or persons, the unit will make an initial assessment, including a limited inquiry when appropriate, to determine how to proceed. Civil rights responses may include: administrative closure, alternative resolution, formal investigation or other inquiry. Read more about Civil Rights Protections at UCLA.

When the conviction also represents a violation involving sexual harassment and sexual violence (including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking), the Title IX Office will review the matter pursuant to the University of California Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment. Where the Title IX Office determines that it does not have jurisdiction over an allegation, the Office of Student Conduct may review the incident(s) to determine if the code applies.

Provision 5

The range of consequences possible for students, faculty, or staff who violate relevant institutional policies, state law, or federal law, including, but not limited to, discrimination based on shared ancestry under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

and

Provision 6

How the campus may respond to activities that threaten the safety of students, faculty, or staff, and disrupt their ability to access the campus or buildings, the educational process, or activities on campus. The notification will include strategies consistent with current law for how the university intends to ensure students can safely access buildings and activities on campus.

The university’s policies, rules, and regulations are designed to support the university’s mission of education, research and public service. 

The university has explicit policies that protect and foster extensive opportunities for free expression, speech and assembly. In addition, academic freedom protects freedom of inquiry and research, teaching and expression and publication. The university also has policies that comply with federal and state laws, protect lawful access to university programs and facilities, address unsafe behavior and aim to prevent the destruction of property. These policies apply regardless of the cause or content of a particular protest, speech, or other form of expression, or whether the conduct involves expression at all. 

While systemwide policies affirm the constitutionally protected rights of all members of the university community regarding free expression, speech and assembly, these activities should not disrupt the university’s functions, impede orderly operations, or place community members in reasonable fear for their personal safety. (Regents Policy 3303: Policy on Employee and Student Protections Related to Student Press and Student Free Speech Rights; Policy on Speech and Advocacy (PACAOS 30); and Policy on Use of University Properties (PACAOS 40).)

Provision 6

If violations of local, state and federal law or university’s policies occur, they will be addressed with the following consistent tiered response at all UC locations — with an emphasis on providing community members with multiple opportunities to adjust their conduct:

  • Initially, people engaged in committing a policy violation should be informed of the violation and asked to change their conduct. Multiple requests may be made, and compliance with the requests means the response will not be escalated.
  • If the people involved do not comply with requests to alter their conduct, they will be warned about potential consequences and directed to comply. If the conduct continues, UC Police Department (UCPD) and/or Campus Fire Marshal will assess the situation and, based on their assessment, may issue an unlawful assembly notice/announcement, orders to disperse, orders to identify oneself, or other relevant orders.
  • In the final phase of tiered response, people who refuse to change their conduct as directed may be cited for a violation of the relevant University policy. If they are breaking the law they may be cited, detained and arrested for unlawful behavior, or subject to other police actions. Stay-away orders may be issued for higher severity violations and/or for repeat offenses. The university may utilize University of California Police Departments or other state or local law enforcement agencies to maintain the health and safety of the university community.
  • Members of the university community who are arrested for unlawful behavior must have their conduct evaluated for potential violations of university policy. Members of the university community who are cited for a violation of university policy must go through the applicable campus review process.

While the tiered response outlines consistent expectations in many situations, it is not a rigid prescription that will capture all situations, all specific violations of policy or law, or all response actions. It does not dictate a specific timeframe. A tiered response does not mean a slow response but one that fits the situation and the resources to address it. Specifically, if violation of policy or law poses an immediate threat to life safety (imminent threat of harm or endangerment to people and/or systems designed to protect people from immediate harm (i.e., fire detection and suppression systems) or critical university functions, the university will act accordingly and mobilize the appropriate resources, which may include UCPD, Campus Fire Marshal and/or other resources to respond. This is consistent with the university’s established tiered response approach, where an escalation of threat to life safety or of disruption to operations demands a rapidly escalated response. The tiered response approach outlined above is rooted in the best practices and recommendations of the Robinson-Edley report and the Community Safety Plan to encourage free expression while safeguarding the rights of all members to teach, study, and exchange ideas freely.

For conduct covered by the preliminary injunction that was issued by the District Court for the Central District of California in August 2024 (relating to student access to ordinarily available campus areas, programs or activities), see answer six under the ‘Campus Response’ FAQs.

Provision 5

In order to create inclusive spaces where all voices are heard and our community members can engage in their educational, academic, research, and patient care pursuits, the University must also take consistent and fair accountability measures against individuals whose conduct violates the University’s policies. These accountability measures are taken only after disciplinary proceedings are completed with appropriate procedural safeguards. Consistent with Regents Bylaw 40, for faculty, the proposed imposition of any type of disciplinary sanction will proceed in accordance with the established policies and procedures for discipline, including an opportunity for a prior hearing before an appropriate advisory committee of the Division of the Academic Senate.

Accountability measures for the violation of the University’s policies may include but are not limited to:

  • Students: Educational sanctions, written warning, disciplinary probation, exclusion from areas of the campus or from official University functions, restitution, suspension, and dismissal. 
  • Staff: Counseling memorandums, written reprimands, suspension without pay, reduction in pay, and termination or dismissal. 
  • Senate Faculty: Informal counseling memorandums, written censure, reduction in salary, demotion, suspension without pay, non-reappointment, denial or curtailment of emeritus status, and dismissal.  
  • Non-Senate Academic Appointees: Informal counseling memorandums, written warning, written censure, demotion, suspension without pay, reduction in salary, non-reappointment, and dismissal. 
  • Visitors and Non-UC Affiliates: Exclusion from campus, restitution, and potential for criminal sanctions for violation of University rules in accordance with the California Education Code.

Provision 7

How the campus intends to foster healthy discourse and bring together campus community members, and viewpoints that are ideologically different, in order to best promote the educational mission of the institution and the exchange of ideas in a safe and peaceful manner.

As a place of higher learning committed to inclusive excellence, UCLA has programs, initiatives and centers to foster dialogue and the exchange of ideas, while also strengthening the community’s critical thinking and leadership skills.

The UCLA Student Leadership Academy aims to foster leadership development, critical thinking and self-reflection, and career readiness of undergraduate students to best prepare to contribute to society with the passion, experience and skill sets necessary to thrive once they graduate. Students are given an opportunity to engage in a blend of leadership experiences that combine intellectual stimulation via seminars, space for dialogue facilitated by campus educators, and strong partnerships with community partners. Selected students participate as a cohort in an immersive residential experience occurring over the summer. Over the course of the academy, the students participate in a leadership self-assessment; meet with the campus and community leaders; and network with UCLA educators. In 2024, the leadership academy was offered to incoming first-year and transfer students as part of orientation programming.

The Chancellor’s LINK program offers an immersive curriculum for 20-25 students annually to combine intellectual stimulation in the classroom, space for dialogue facilitated by faculty and administrative leadership, and strong partnerships with government, non-profit, corporate and community entities to offer meaningful experiential learning opportunities alongside complementary internship experiences.

Upon completion of the program, students have:

  • A strengthened entrepreneurial mindset to question the status quo and explore diverse avenues for social change;
  • The ability to devise creative solutions to existing challenges in various industries and areas of society;
  • The skills to engage in civil conversations and work with individuals with opposing viewpoints to deliver quality results;
  • The capacity to translate classroom learning, theoretical principles and their own ideas into action;
  • A focus on personal reflection to clarify one’s own personal ethical standards; and
  • A definition of their personal and professional aspirations in the larger context of being an engaged social actor.

Additionally, a workshop presented by UCLA’s Office of Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement (SOLE) for newly registered organizations and new signatories of returning organizations emphasizes collaboration between different organizations and support for different ideas being presented within the campus community.

There are also a number of organization-led efforts to foster diversity and different viewpoints within their respective areas, such as the UCLA Administration Equity Council.

In academic year 2024–25, our Four-Point Plan for a Safer, Stronger UCLA includes a provision to foster a culture of engagement, learning and dialogue across difference. We intend to leverage other areas of campus to better support conversations across diverse viewpoints. Here are a few examples:

The UCLA Bedari Kindness Institute is committed not only to engaging in best-in-class research on kindness, but to strategically turn that learning into real-world practices through education and dynamic local, national and global partnerships.

The Dialogue across Difference (DaD) Initiative aims to model and promote the values of intellectual engagement, curiosity, empathy, active listening and critical thinking through a series of campus events, classes, informal learning opportunities and social programming. Through its four prongs of campus collaboration, student leadership, teaching programs, and training and workshops, DaD maximizes campus resources and expertise to help build these critical skills in our community.

The UCLA Initiative to Study Hate is a three-year pilot project intended to foster cutting-edge research and high-level teaching to understand and mitigate group-based hate. As one of the world’s leading public institutions, UCLA has an obligation to understand and mitigate the destructive force of hatred in the world.

UCLA’s First Year Experience program has chosen the book The War for Kindness — focused on how we build up our capacity for empathy — as the common experience for all incoming students to read.

Provision 8

Identify educational programs and activities for faculty, staff, and students to support the balance between free speech activities, educational mission, and student safety.

Yes, UCLA provides a variety of opportunities for the campus community.

Through Student Affairs, the Office of Student Organizations, Leadership & Engagement (SOLE) hosts an annual new student organization workshop that emphasizes the importance of supporting the balance between free speech, the university’s mission and student safety. Each student organization has a dedicated advisor who meets with student leaders when planning large activities or events to consider broader implications to the campus community; ensure groups are made aware of time, place and manner policies; and support implementing measures needed to protect student safety. The SOLE Signatory Newsletter also clearly outlines that advisors for an organization assist with supporting the balance between these issues. These issues are also discussed at Undergraduate Students Association Council and Graduate Student Association forums.

In 2023–24, Campus Life and Civic Engagement hosted ‘Democracy Workshops,’ a programmatic series aimed at equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary for active democratic engagement. A total of five workshops covered topics including critical media literacy, talking across political differences, election administration, understanding your ballot and a special edition watch party for California’s U.S. Senate debate. Campus Life also collaborated with the Center for Community Engagement on a first-ever Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement (CLDE) Network. The Network, comprised of students, staff and faculty who have an interest in promoting civic engagement at UCLA, aims to synergize and strengthen CLDE efforts across campus and create opportunities to meet with local and statewide leaders, including alumna and California Secretary of State Shirley Weber.

Campus Life also supports BruinsVote, the university’s official student-led vote coalition, and its members, by hosting a voter registration training with the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, providing guidance and equipment for weekly voter outreach tabling, supervising the BruinsVote social media fellow, helping kickstart the BruinsVote Ambassador Program and coordinating fireside chats with UCLA Leadership. As part of the Dialogue Across Difference Advisory Committee, Campus Life leaders co-lead the Student Leadership Program. In 2023–24, the inaugural program was made up of 13 students who spent the year learning about the fundamentals of dialogue and, in turn, became campus ambassadors for this work.


The UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement has also developed workshops curated specifically for UC staff and faculty members in order to provide space for teams across the system to think through how to support student expression on campus, manage institutional responses to visits by controversial speakers or speaker disruptions, and simultaneously maintain a campus climate of inclusivity and belonging. These workshops cover:

  • Campus Safety and Protest Management
  • Exploring First Amendment Principles and Campus Expression
  • Title VI Today
  • Academic Freedom 101

Provision 9

A list of the resources available on campus for faculty, staff and students to receive mental health and trauma support.

Visit the resources page on this site for a list of resources available on campus for faculty, staff and students to receive mental health and trauma support.

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