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.
51.7 Treanding Down
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 257 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
227 Treanding Down
/ 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.
3
Overview
Cornell University ranks 227 out of 257 in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. Its score of 52 keeps the university at an F grade for its speech climate. A deplatforming of singer Kehlani and the attempted disruption of an Israeli-Palestinian peace panel led to a four-point penalty, further underscoring a troubled environment. The school still earns a “yellow light” Spotlight rating and has yet to adopt the Chicago Statement or an official commitment to institutional neutrality.Student perceptions place Cornell in the top 50 for “Political Tolerance” of controversial speakers. Cornell also ranks in the bottom 25 for “Self-Censorship” and the bottom 50 for “Comfort Expressing Ideas,” highlighting a campus where hearing dissenting views is easier than voicing them.
To its credit, though, Cornell worked with FIRE to revise its “Expressive Activity Policy” to exclude broad and vague restrictions on speech. Cornell could continue to improve by revising speech codes to earn a “green light” Spotlight rating, as well as adopting the Chicago Statement and an official commitment to institutional neutrality..
Highlights
45% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
80% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
36% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
5.53:1
There are roughly 5.53 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Score over time
Student Voices
I think when the subject talks is about the 2024 elections because im now just recently trying to become more educated so i feel like its not my place to get into a debate when i'm not knowledgable about something
I felt that i could not share my opinion about how Greek life can promote a culture of sexual violence because many classmates are involved in fraternities/sororities and might find the opinion offensive
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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.
51.7 Treanding Down
/ 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.
227 Treanding Down
/ 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.
3
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
Not 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).
D-
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).
F
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.
3
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.
0
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.
1
Deplatformings Deplatformings are the number of incidents where a scheduled event or speaker is canceled or prevented from taking place.
2
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.
1
Attempted Disruptions Attempted Disruptions are the number of incidents where people on campus try to stop a scheduled event or speaker.
1
New in 2025 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
2
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Cornell University | Maria Valdez | Administrators investigated and then suspended Valdez for a social media post critical of Zionism. | -1.0 |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cornell University | Kehlani | Kehlani, a Grammy-nominated R&B artist, was scheduled to headline the university's annual Slope Day event. Shortly after the announcement, backlash mounted over Kehlani’s history of anti-Israel statements, including a widely publicized chant of “Fuck Israel” and “Fuck Zionism” at a pro-Palestinian protest earlier in the year. Critics, including students, alumni, and members of Congress, argued that her rhetoric was inflammatory and inappropriate for a university-sponsored event. A petition circulated via Google Form urged the university to cancel the performance, citing her political statements as incompatible with Cornell’s values. U.S. Senator Rick Scott and Representatives Lisa McClain and Mike Lawler publicly called for Kehlani to be disinvited, amplifying pressure on the administration. In response to the backlash, the university rescinded Kehlani's invitation. | -3.0 |
| 2025 | Cornell University | Daniel Shapiro/Tzipi Livni/Salam Fayyad/Ryan Crocker | Shapiro, the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon, was participating in a panel discussion at the university titled "Pathways to Peace" that aimed to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and explore avenues for peace. The event also featured former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad former Israeli Foreign Minister Livni, and was moderated by Crocker, The discussion was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters, leading to the detention of at least 17 individuals by University Police. The protest was organized by the campus chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which criticized the university for hosting Livni, labeling her a "war criminal" due to her involvement in past Israeli military actions. Protesters interrupted the event with chants and accusations, including shouting "500 children in 2014 and you killed them. You are a butcher." After the protesters were removed the panel discussion resumed. In response to the disruptions, the interim university president condemned the actions, emphasizing the importance of free expression and dialogue in the educational process. He announced that nine students involved would face disciplinary actions, potentially including suspension, and that SJP could face suspension as a registered campus organization. | -1.0 |
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Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at Cornell 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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See Your School's Ranking
The College Free Speech Rankings are based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
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The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression defends and sustains the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.
