Let’s be clear: colleges and universities do have to walk a fine line. On the one hand, they have a responsibility to protect and defend students’ free speech rights. Free speech is fundamental to the project of education. On the other hand, they have an equally important responsibility to protect everyone on campus from harm.
Here’s the thing: these two responsibilities shouldn’t conflict. The First Amendment doesn’t allow anyone to do physical harm to others. When schools interpret “harm” too broadly, though, they can wind up punishing students for “offensive,” “controversial,” or “hurtful” speech, all of which are protected by the First Amendment.
If someone at the University of Illinois-Chicago has accused you of misconduct because of something you said, you have the right to defend yourself. We can help. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team was founded to help students get the justice they deserve. We know how UIC processes and procedures work, and we can show you how to use them to your best advantage.
To find out more about how we can help with your case, call 888-535-3686 today, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Free Speech at UIC
To be fair, UIC maintains a pretty strict Open Expression Policy. That policy affirms the university’s commitment to protect “the free exchange of ideas” and even “controversial and, at times, contentious speech.”
Unfortunately, faculty and administrators don’t always respect this policy. In 2025, for example, a UIC student was investigated for criticizing her group partner’s lack of participation in a course project. Ultimately, that investigation found she had done nothing wrong. The fact is, though, that it should never have been initiated in the first place.
Just as importantly, cases like these send a clear message to the campus community that misconduct allegations are an acceptable way to respond to controversial speech. You can anticipate the result: everyone on campus feels free to accuse anyone any time they’re feeling the least bit offended.
You cannot afford to ignore any accusation. You just cannot count on the UIC administration to dismiss a spurious allegation, and once an investigation is underway, you cannot know where it may wind up. At the first sign of trouble, it’s important you contact the LLF National Law Firm. We know your rights, and we know how to protect you any time they’re under threat.
UIC Rules and Regulations
One of the reasons so many UIC students find themselves accused of things they say is that the university’s Standards of Conduct include so many offenses that are open to interpretation. It’s easy for faculty and administrators to misinterpret rules and regulations and go too far in trying to protect campus.
- Physical Abuse: All communities have an obligation to protect their members from physical harm. UIC has the perfect right to prohibit physical abuse and violent behavior. Likewise, the university must respond to genuine threats of violence. Unfortunately, the Standards don’t include the word “genuine.” The fact is, it’s easy enough to mistake a heated exchange as “threatening.”
- Harassment: UIC also has a responsibility for limiting discrimination and harassment on campus, especially when these involve legally protected characteristics like sex, race, and religion. The university goes too far, however, when it tries to use such rules to limit speech. The Supreme Court has ruled that the desire to protect persons from harassment should not be used to silence free speech.
- Disruption: Far more problematic are UIC rules against disorderly conduct. These include prohibitions on “disruption of university activities,” “failure to comply with university directives,” and “actions that adversely affect the university’s community interest.” Any one of these is broad enough to justify charging a student for “controversial” speech.
The LLF National Law Firm has dealt with every conceivable type of university misconduct charge. We know how to gather evidence, and we know how to build a strong defense. If UIC is trying to punish you for speaking up, though, we’ll work hard to make sure you’re never charged in the first place.
Building Your Defense
Any time you’re charged with an offense—any offense—you have the right to due process. That starts with the right to a presumption of innocence. UIC is supposed to conduct a thorough investigation and hold a formal hearing before issuing any kind of sanction. Of course, the keywords here are “supposed to.”
Here’s a complete description of how the process is supposed to work.
- The Office of the Dean of Students has authority over all misconduct allegations. They are supposed to be sure a complaint is credible and actionable before issuing any formal charges. This means there is a window of opportunity before an investigation begins when the LLF National Law Firm can assert your rights to free speech.
- You are entitled to notice any time you’re facing actual charges. This notice must provide you with important information for building your case, including the name of your accuser, an explanation of the allegations, and a list of all your due process rights.
- The university must conduct some type of investigation. Because you are presumed innocent, it needs concrete evidence. As part of this investigation, you are entitled to give your version of events. It’s also worth noting that you have a right to review all evidence uncovered in your case.
- The Dean’s Office can dismiss your case after an investigation. Otherwise, it will initiate hearing procedures before one or more decision-makers. During this hearing, you are invited to provide any physical evidence you may have and to call witnesses to testify. In addition, you may raise questions about any evidence being used against you.
- Decision-makers then determine whether there is a “preponderance of evidence” against you. According to this legal standard, you are responsible (guilty) if it seems “more likely than not” that you committed the offense.
- You can also appeal a responsible outcome if you can show that you were denied any of your due process rights. Typically, this means a procedural error occurred, some new evidence has come to light, or you’re facing an unfair sanction.
Ideally, UIC should take an objective stance towards your case. That’s rarely what happens, though. Faculty and administrators have a tendency to prejudge students, and they can be overly zealous in pursuing charges. Make sure you have someone who is genuinely on your side. The LLF National Law Firm is dedicated to protecting your interests and defending your rights, no matter what your situation.
Trust the LLF National Law Firm
If you’ve been accused of some type of disciplinary misconduct over something you’ve said, you don’t want to try to handle the situation on your own. Your educational and professional futures are at stake.
The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team is committed to your future and to ensuring you get justice. We are skilled negotiators, but make no mistake: we’re ready to fight for you any time you need us.
To find out more about how we can help, contact the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.