Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression survey on campus free speech

A nationwide survey of approximately 63,000 college students conducted by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) reveals that 31 percent of respondents believe some level of violence is acceptable to stop a campus speech. While this figure is a slight decrease from the 34 percent reported last year, it remains significantly higher than the 18 percent recorded in 2020.

The report notes that 50 percent of students find blocking others from attending a speech acceptable to some degree, and 69 percent believe shouting down a speaker is acceptable in some capacity. FIRE researchers noted that the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has had a profound impact on campus discourse.

In terms of institutional rankings, the University of Chicago secured the top spot for the third time in seven years. While the number of schools receiving passing grades increased from 91 to 140, the overall average score for campus free speech policies was 61 out of 100, which equates to a D-minus on the FIRE scale.