UMBC Community Standards

myUMBC is a UMBC limited public community forum for information sharing and dialogue.

As a public institution, UMBC generally may not limit a community member’s right to free speech on this forum. Unless specifically stated in an official UMBC post, UMBC does not endorse the views expressed or information presented on myUMBC.

myUMBC is an important forum for information sharing and dialogue. The discussions that appear on the site are almost always well-reasoned and respectful and make us very proud of our community.

We encourage community members to thoughtfully and respectfully engage in discussion, advocacy and meaningful dialogue. UMBC is committed to creating a welcoming community for all and honoring their experiences and identities.

Your comments should be guided by these myUMBC Community Standards, and UMBC Community Guidelines for Social Media.

Occasionally, comments on myUMBC remind us of the tension that can exist among the values of great importance to our campus and our society - freedom of speech, civility and inclusion.

Restrictions on speech may deprive students of their right to invite speech they wish to hear, debate speech with which they disagree, and protest speech they find bigoted or offensive. The mission of higher education is dependent on the ability of people to freely express and discuss challenging, difficult and opposing concepts.

The First Amendment protects speech, including offensive speech. Restrictions on speech by public colleges and universities is considered to be government censorship, in violation of the First Amendment.

Freedom of speech includes the right:

  • To engage in public speech that is controversial, offensive or bigoted
  • To use hate speech or speach that evidences bias
  • To use certain offensive words and phrases to convey personal beliefs or political messages
  • Not to speak (e.g., the right not to salute the flag, say the pledge of allegiance or stand for the national anthem)
  • To wear armbands or symbols to school to protest war or support a cause
  • To engage in symbolic speech, (e.g., burning the flag in protest, displaying symbols of hate)

Freedom of speech does not include the right:

  • To intentionally provoke or incite violence
  • To engage in intimidating speech directed at a specific individual in a face-to-face confrontation that is likely to provoke a violent reaction
  • To incite actions that would endanger or physically harm others (e.g., “[S]hout[ing] ‘fire’ in a crowded theater.”)
  • To use symbols to directly threaten an individual or damage property (e.g., symbols of hate or a noose posted on a person’s door, painting a symbol of hate on someone else’s property)
  • To target a particular individual for harm, such as a true threat of physical violence
  • To distribute obscene materials or make an obscene speech at a school-sponsored event
  • To engage in an intentional act which substantially interferes with the freedom of expression of others on University property or at University sponsored activities
  • To disrupt or substantially interfere with normal University functions or operations
  • To engage in speech that invades or impinges on the rights of other students
  • To engage in targeted harassment or threats
  • To create an objectively severe or pervasive hostile environment for a student, staff or faculty member

Community members who believe they have experienced an incident of hate, bias, or discrimination can complete the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s Confidential Online Reporting/Referral Form.

If you have an immediate concern for your safety, or you seek to report incidents or criminal acts that would constitute hate/bias crimes, please contact the UMBC Police Department.