Today, UWM lifted the temporary suspensions of five student groups associated with an Instagram story on the uwm4palicoalition account in July that included intimidating language aimed at Jewish community members and organizations on campus that support Israel.
Free speech is a fundamental right that UWM is obligated to uphold. At the same time, under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, UWM is responsible for ensuring an educational environment free from discrimination and harassment, which is why UWM conducted these investigations. Based on the investigation, UWM concluded that the social media posts did not meet the very high bar under the First Amendment to constitute the legal definition of a true threat, which is a recognized exception to First Amendment protection.
While hateful or intimidating speech is often legally protected, it conflicts with the respect and conduct we ask of each member of our community. UWM continues to strongly denounce these statements and condemns any form of antisemitism or discrimination, and we are actively monitoring campus as a result. Every student, employee and community member must be safe on our campus.
Over the past several months, members of the UWM administration have been in communication with impacted organizations, offering support and safety information. UWM also launched a campaign to educate the campus community about the First Amendment and behavior expectations regarding protests on campus. Learn more at uwm.edu/freespeech.
UWM is continuing to monitor protests and other expressive activities to ensure that individuals and organizations comply with the law and our conduct codes.
Any member of the campus community can request support from the UWM Police Department. Download the Rave Guardian app to receive emergency alerts and to text directly with the UWMPD and connect with UWM Police resources.
In an emergency, please call the UWM Police Department at 911 on a UWM Teams account or 414-229-9911 on a cellphone or off-campus phone. 911 may be used from off-campus locations or from your cell phone to reach City of Milwaukee police, fire and ambulance services.
UWM offers mental health resources for students and employees. Students can access the UW Mental Health Support Line 24/7 at 888-531-2142. Reach UWM’s Counseling Services for virtual or in-person mental health services. To schedule a teletherapy appointment, visit Mantra Health.
Employees are encouraged to use the services of UWM’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), through Acentra Health, which is available to all UWM employees and their family members. Acentra Health is free, confidential and available 24/7. Please contact Acentra Health at 833-539-7285 or online at sowi.mylifeexpert.com. Sign in using UWM’s password: SOWI.