Free speech on college campuses remains a significant topic of discussion. With around two-thirds of students attending one of the 6,000 colleges in the United States, understanding how these institutions compare in terms of free speech is crucial for students, parents, and taxpayers.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) has been at the forefront of this conversation since 2020 with its annual College Free Speech Rankings. These rankings evaluate universities based on surveys from individual campuses, their speech policies, and how they apply these policies during controversies. The goal is to provide stakeholders with information about how well colleges protect First Amendment rights and equip students to engage in a diverse society.
"Colleges should encourage students to contend with challenging — even offensive — views on the day’s most pressing issues," FIRE stated in a tweet dated September 15, 2024.
In recent rankings, Harvard University earned the lowest score ever recorded by FIRE: zero. This year, New York University and Columbia University joined Harvard at the bottom of the list. "Last year, @Harvard earned the worst score ever in FIRE’s College Free Speech Rankings: Zero. This year, it finds new company at the bottom," read another tweet from FIRE on September 6, 2024.
Casey Mattox shared his thoughts on Twitter about how these rankings could be used as tools for comparison among schools within states or conferences. He also highlighted that universities are beginning to respond by improving their campus policies to better protect free speech.
The latest release of FIRE's College Free Speech Rankings placed the University of Virginia (UVA) at number one for protecting free speech on campus—a first for UVA—despite receiving an overall score of 73 out of 100. "So @UVA is #1 in the @TheFIREorg Free Speech Rankings!!!!" tweeted Casey Mattox on September 5, 2024.
As college application season approaches, prospective students and parents may consider these rankings when selecting institutions that prioritize free speech.
