‘State of free speech on campus is grim:’ Elite northeast college get ‘F’ in national survey

(The Center Square) – New York University, Columbia, Boston College and several other elite Northeast colleges are among those with poor rankings for free speech, according to a new report.

All three universities, located in New York and Massachusetts respectively, received “F” grades for their free speech climates in the annual report, released on Wednesday by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. New York University dropped to the lowest-ranked institution for free speech, the report noted. 

FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff said the group’s latest report shows some progress in campus free speech policies and indications that students may be less willing to tolerate shoutdowns and violence on campus compared to recent years.”

“But the overall state of free speech on campus is grim,” he said in a statement. “Too many college administrators wield their power to cancel controversial speakers, cave to government or student calls for censorship, and limit academic freedom.”

The report ranked the free speech climates of more than 250 American colleges and universities based on a survey of over 58,000 students nationwide. Most of the colleges and universities received a “C” or “D” grade while only two got a “B-” grade. No school surveyed in the report received an “A” grade.

The University of Chicago, Georgia Institute of Technology, Michigan Technological University and Claremont McKenna College in California had the healthiest speech climates in 2026, according to the report.

FIRE also surveyed students’ views on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Israeli-Hamas conflict, and abortion. The group said Kirk’s assassination “generated a wave of censorship at America’s colleges over the past year, further contributing to a climate in which too many students fear expressing themselves on campus.”

The group also cited specific incidents that raise questions about colleges, commitment, to free speech, including New York University’s cancellation of a “immigration invasion” panel hosted by a Republican group over “safety” concerns for students

In a bright spot for New England colleges and universities, Harvard moved up from its dead bottom “abysmal” ranking to 71st in the latest rankings, leaping 174 places from last year.

Harvard’s score jumped to 64 or “D” grade from its previous “F” grade and score of 50, according to the report. The university was also ranked in the top 25 for political tolerance, which the report suggested reflects an increasing willingness among students to host controversial speakers.

Meanwhile, the school’s “Comfort Expressing Ideas” rank jumped 134 places from last year, which the report’s authors said reflects students’ increasing comfort sharing views on controversial topics on campus.

The report’s authors attributed Harvard’s rise in the rankings, in part, to its adoption of an official “commitment to institutional neutrality” but said the elite College still has work to do to approve free speech on campus.

“Harvard should respond clearly and forcefully to defend free speech whenever censorship occurs or is demanded,” the report stated. “Doing so will demonstrate the university’s commitment to free speech and build community trust that the administration will defend expressive rights.”