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.
60.6 Treanding Up
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 257 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
76 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).
D-
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
Syracuse University ranks 76 out of 257 schools in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings with a score of 61, a D- speech climate grade. The university's score rose 5 points, and its rank jumped 170 places, a shift that coincided with shrinking speech controversy penalties, a major improvement in student perception, and credit for having adopted both the Chicago Statement and institutional neutrality. Syracuse retains a “yellow light” Spotlight rating.Student perceptions place Syracuse in the top 50 for both “Comfort Expressing Ideas” and “Openness,” suggesting many feel free to share and hear viewpoints in class compared to other schools.
Syracuse could build on recent gains by revising its written policies to earn a “green light” Spotlight rating and by sponsoring events that expose students to a wider range of political perspectives.
Highlights
44% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
67% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
38% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
4.58:1
There are roughly 4.58 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Score over time
Student Voices
Being in a class where I was the only black student.
my professor blatantly stated she was liberal and voted for Kamala Harris, prompting a class discussion to lean in her favor
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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.
60.6 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.
76 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).
D-
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
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).
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).
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.
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.
0
Deplatformings Deplatformings are the number of incidents where a scheduled event or speaker is canceled or prevented from taking place.
3
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.
1
New in 2025 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
0
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Syracuse University | Mom's for Liberty | The College Republicans requested to reserve space for a Mom's for Liberty meeting but was informed by the university that student groups are unable to reserve space for off-campus groups. In response, the student group withdrew its request, though it argued that other student groups had brought in off-campus groups for events. | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Syracuse University | Rabab Ibrahim Abdulhadi | A group of students, parents and alumni petitioned the university to cancel an event featuring Abdulhadi. The petition garnered more than 1,800 signatures. Administrators canceled the speech due to “a sharp uptick in anti semitism, Islamophobia and abhorrent conduct threatening members of campus communities based on their identity,” and because of "safety concerns." | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Syracuse University | Sarah Stockton | Students and community members wanted the university to cancel Stockton's speech, calling Stockton's views anti-trans. A faculty member started a petition asking the university to cancel the event. The university did not cancel the event and it proceeded, but was moved to a new location due to "security issues" and a "mandate" from the university's public safety department. | -1.0 |
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More Student Voices
During the Pro Palestine encampment, any student who is Jewish such as myself could not express support of Israel without retaliation from professors and students
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at Syracuse 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.
FIRE Fights for Your Rights
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.
