Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
49.7 Treanding Up
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 257 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
245 Treanding Up
/ 257
Overall grade The Grade is a letter based on the college's rounded Overall Score. Scores fall into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Speech Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
13
Overview
Harvard University ranks 245 out of 257 schools in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. The university earned a score of 50 and has an F speech climate grade. The climb out of last place was the result of fewer penalties and a “high honors” bonus after President Alan Garber publicly rebuffed federal demands to derecognize several student groups. In the face of pressure Garber both stated a commitment to free speech and why Harvard is committed to it, “Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere.”Student perceptions remain bleak. Harvard places in the bottom 25 for both “Comfort Expressing Ideas” and “Administrative Support,” signaling that many students feel uneasy voicing opinions and doubt the administration's backing of free expression. No survey area cracks the top 50, leaving significant room for improvement.
Harvard could raise its standing by revising its restrictive speech policies to earn a “green light” Spotlight rating and formally adopting the Chicago Statement to reaffirm its commitment to open inquiry. But policy changes alone will not rebuild trust. The university should take active steps to improve campus culture by publicly defending student and faculty expression in moments of controversy, clearly communicating the value of free speech in a university setting, and embedding expressive rights training into first-year orientation so students learn when expression crosses into unprotected conduct. Harvard’s reputation gives it outsized influence in higher education — but to lead credibly, it must not only have strong policies on paper, but it must also show students that it’s willing to stand by them in practice.
Highlights
47% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
79% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
32% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
6.10:1
There are roughly 6.10 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Score over time
Student Voices
Any time abortion is mentioned in class, I have to not speak.
This is a liberal institution. Anyone who expresses socially conservative ideas is immediately labeled and whispered about
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Score Deep Dive
Inside the Score
Explore the key factors shaping this score. This section provides a detailed look at the data, policies, and student experiences that influence free speech on campus.
Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
49.7 Treanding Up
/ 100
This score out of 100 reflects how open and supportive a campus is for free speech, based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 257 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
245 Treanding Up
/ 257
A comparison of 257 U.S. colleges and universities on free speech, based on overall scores from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Overall grade The Grade is a letter based on the college's rounded Overall Score. Scores fall into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
A school’s speech climate, shown as a letter grade (A–F), based on its overall score from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Speech Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
13
Reflect recent incidents where a speaker, professor, student, or student group faced efforts to punish, disinvite, or silence them for expressing a controversial view.
Chicago Statement for Free Speech
Not Adopted
Institutional Neutrality
Adopted
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Comfort Expressing Ideas Comfort Expressing Ideas measures how comfortable students feel sharing their views on controversial topics in different campus settings. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Disruptive Conduct Disruptive Conduct measures how acceptable students think it is to disrupt a campus speaker. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
C+
Openness Openness measures how many controversial topics students feel they can openly discuss on campus. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
C
Self-Censorship Self-Censorship measures how often students hold back their views on campus. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93–100) to F (below 60).
D-
Administrative Support Administrative Support measures how clearly students think their school supports free speech and how likely the administration is to defend a speaker's rights during a controversy. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Political Tolerance Political Tolerance measures how willing students are to allow controversial speakers — on both the left and right — to speak on campus, even if they disagree with their views. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Speech Controversies
Speech Controversies: When Free Expression Is Challenged
Explore notable incidents where free speech was tested on campus. From speaker deplatformings to administrative actions, these events highlight the challenges — and consequences — of restricting expression.
Total Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
13
Scholars Under Fire Scholar Controversies are campus incidents where a professor or academic staff member faces backlash or punishment for speech protected by academic freedom or the First Amendment.
2
Students Under Fire Student Controversies are campus incidents where a student or student group faces punishment or pressure from the school for speech that's protected by the First Amendment.
5
Deplatformings Deplatformings are the number of incidents where a scheduled event or speaker is canceled or prevented from taking place.
6
Honor Roll Statements Honor Roll Statements are the number of public messages from a college or university defending free speech during a campus controversy. Schools that make these statements can earn bonus points on their Overall Score for standing up for free expression when it counts.
2
Attempted Disruptions Attempted Disruptions are the number of incidents where people on campus try to stop a scheduled event or speaker.
3
New in 2025 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
4
Scholars Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Harvard University | Cemal Kafadar/Rosie Bsheer | Kafadar, a professor of Turkish studies at the university, and Bsheer, a professor of history at the university, were dismissed from their leadership roles at the university's Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) amid allegations that CMES programming exhibited anti-Israel bias and failed to include Israeli perspectives. The dismissals occurred during heightened scrutiny from the Trump administration regarding campus antisemitism and ideological balance in Middle Eastern studies. The dismissal followed criticism from Harvard affiliates and external entities, including the Harvard Jewish Alumni Alliance and former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers, who alleged that CMES events were antisemitic and lacked balanced perspectives. Kafadar and Bsheer retained their faculty appointment. | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Harvard University | Kenneth Roth | Dean Douglas Elmendorf initially denied Roth's fellowship over Roth's tweets critical of Israel, and the alleged anti-Israel bias of Human Rights Watch. | -1.0 |
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Harvard University | Harvard Undergraduate Palestinian Solidarity Committee/Harvard Graduate Students 4 Palestine/Law Students 4 Palestine/Students for Justice in Palestine/National Lawyers Guild | In a letter to Harvard's president, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration accused the university of failing "to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment" and issued a series of demands including the derecognition of all five groups listed for having "engaged in anti-Semitic activity since October 7th, 2023." In response to the broader depands, Harvard's lawyers accused these agencies of "in contravention of the First Amendment, invad[ing] university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court" and announced that "the university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights." In retaliation, the federal government froze $2.2 billion in funds. | +2.0 |
| 2025 | Harvard University | Sa'Maia Evans/African and African American Resistance Organization | An administrator canceled a room reservation made by Evans and instructed her to notify those intending to attend that the event had been canceled. After Evans had reserved a room for an event with the African and African American Resistance Organization -- an unrecognized student group -- she received an email from an administrator reminding her that university policy prohibiting unrecognized groups from conducting "any activity at Harvard." However, according to the campus newspaper, several other unrecognized groups have used campus buildings for events, including the Harvard Vote Socialist 2024 campaign and Harvard for Harris. Evans was also instructed to notify attendees the event would not take place,and threatened with disciplinary referral and suspension from the school's room reservation system should there be "any attempt to go forward" with the event. | -1.0 |
| 2025 | Harvard University | Harvard Jews 4 Palestine/Unnamed Student Group | Administrators revoked funding and a room reservation for an "anti-zionist Passover seder for liberation" organized by an Harvard Jews 4 Palestine and unnamed student group on the grounds that they violated a campus policy against co-organizing events with unrecognized groups. However, according to the campus newspaper, several other unrecognized groups have used campus buildings for events, including the Harvard Vote Socialist 2024 campaign and Harvard for Harris. After learning about an Instagram post from unrecognized student group Harvard Jews for Palestine suggesting they were co-organizers of the event, an administrator from Adams House revoked the original room reservation and told the unnamed group to announce the event's cancellation. Instead, they group held their event anyway. | -1.0 |
| 2024 | Harvard University | Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee | The Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee co-organized an outdoor rally with several unrecognized groups in support of student activists arrested at Columbia University. Administrators then suspended the group on the grounds that it violated a policy prohibiting such collaboration. | -1.0 |
| 2024 | Harvard University | Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine | After members of Hezbollah were killed with exploding pagers in an attack attributed to Israel, Harvard Out of Occupied Palestine organized a silent study-in in the school library wherein they distributed keffiyehs and posters with slogans critical of Israel. Though a similar protest last year occurred without incident, this time administrators warned the Palestine Solidarity Committee -- a group who promoted the study-in on Instagram but did not co-sponsor it -- that "the event as described is a violation of Harvard's policies and participants may be subject to follow-up as appropriate." During the event, administrators took down ID numbers of several participants, and later 12 students were suspended from the library for two weeks. | -1.0 |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Harvard University | Alan Garber | At the start of Garber's speech on Harvard Alumni Day, a protester approached the podium and poured gold glitter over Garber while shouting "For the baby monkeys, for the animals in the labs, Harvard, shut down the baby monkey labs now." University police detained the protester and escorted them out of the event. Garber resumed his remarks and repeatedly referenced the glitter attack during his speech, which he finished successfully. | 0.0 |
| 2024 | Harvard University | Joe Manchin | Manchin was invited to the Harvard Institute of Politics by a Resident Fellow to discuss why he chose not to seek re-election to the senate in 2024. During Manchin's talk at the Harvard Institute of Politics, six protesters affiliated with Climate Defiance, an activist organization, interrupted Manchin, criticizing his support for the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia. One protestor, who was standing next to Manchin and shouted that "You sold our futures and got rich doing it, you sick fuck!" Manchin stood up to face the protester and then one of his aides threw the protester to the ground. Manchin asked the remaining protesters "to sit down somewhere so we can talk,” but the protesters refused. After university police escorted the protesters out of the venue, the event resumed and Manchin finished his remarks. | -1.0 |
| 2024 | Harvard University | Xie Feng | Six protesters affiliated with Students for a Free Tibet or the Coalition of Students Resisting China interrupted Xie's opening address at the Kennedy School's annual student-run China Conference by shouting over Xie, and holding Tibetan flags and banners that read "China Lies, People Die." One of the protesters was reportedly the son of a Chinese Communist Party official. The protesters, not all of whom were Harvard students, were removed by the university police and Xie completed his remarks. | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Harvard University | Meghan O'Sullivan/Vijay Vaitheeswaran/Edward Luttwak/Helima Croft/Mohammed Alyahya | A professor organized a panel discussion titled "50 Years Since the 1973 Oil Embargo: Reflections and Perspectives" featuring multiple panelists. It was moderated by Alyahya. During the event a group of protesters entered the room objecting to two of the speakers (Luttwak and O'Sullivan) because of their ties to the fossil fuel industry. The demonstrators made it difficult for the audience to see or hear the speakers. Administrators in attendance said they could not interfere with the protesters' rights to free expression. | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Harvard University | Jake Auchincloss/Ro Khanna | Only days after Auchincloss criticized the university president for being inconsistent in her protection of free speech, the university canceled a speaking event approved a month earlier featuring Auchincloss and Ro Khanna, supposedly because the event was co-sponsored by a non-campus entity, American Affairs. The John Adams Society, the student group that planned the event, said the alleged "policy violation" was a pretext for retaliation against Auchincloss for his criticism of the university president. | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Harvard University | Jason Greenblatt | Two student groups, the Harvard College Palestine Solidarity Committee and Harvard Graduate Students for Palestine, recruited hundreds of protesters to march through campus with noisemakers, drumsticks, buckets, and megaphones. Some protesters entered the law school's main building, where a small group of students were engaged in a discussion session with Greenblatt, a former assistant to President Trump, in a study room on the first floor. The protesters blocked the hallway outside of the study room causing Greenblatt and the students to hide until the protesters left. | -1.0 |
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More Student Voices
In my class my professor made it clear that republicans were deemed stupid and uneducated. The administration would wave away such things .
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at Harvard University perceive free speech on their campus. This section breaks down survey responses to key questions, providing insights into overall trends as well as demographic differences in how students experience free expression.
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