A Philadelphia-based civil liberties organization with a mission of defending individual rights at American universities issued its annual report recently, as first reported by the Philadelphia Bulletin.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which rates universities by either ‘red light,’ ‘yellow light’ or ‘green light’ standards listed Temple in its middle category, citing language in its sexual harrassment code.

In September, FIRE filed a brief compelling the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit to uphold a decision by a lower court that Temple University’s former speech code was unconstitutional. Temple’s code prohibited, among other things, “generalized sexist remarks and behavior,” according to FIRE.

Temple’s code was actually revised while the original suit, filed in February 2006 by the Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of former Temple student Christian DeJohn, was making its way through the court system the first time. Still, the university upholds its original language was constitutional. No decision has been rendered. As previously reported by The Temple News, DeJohn contended that his graduate work was intentionally delayed by Temple’s history department because of DeJohn’s military service, which interupted his coursework. 

“Yellow light colleges and universities are those institutions with at least one ambiguous policy that too easily encourages administrative abuse and arbitrary application,” according to the organization’s own standards.

Through this summer, former university President David Adamany was still listed as Temple’s chief, and the school was considered a ‘red light’ college. Adamany was replaced by current university President Ann Weaver Hart July 1, 2006.