Average Score The Average Score is the average of all Overall Scores from colleges in a state that were included in the College Free Speech Rankings.
60.5 Treanding Up
/ 100
Average Rank The Average Rank is the average of all Overall Ranks from colleges in a state that were included in the College Free Speech Rankings.
110 Treanding Up
/ 257
Average 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.
5
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
Overview
Seven Michigan schools are ranked in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. The state’s average speech-climate grade is D–, compared to a national average of F.Michigan Technological University ranks 4 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. It holds a “green light” rating in FIRE’s Spotlight database, meaning its written policies do not seriously threaten student expression. It has also adopted the pro-free speech Chicago Statement. Michigan Tech is one of the top-performing schools on “Political Tolerance,” “Administrative Support,” and “Disruptive Conduct,” suggesting that students are more comfortable with controversial speakers both right and left, trust the administration to protect free speech, and are less likely to disrupt a speaker.
Michigan State University and the University of Michigan rank 60 and 105, respectively. Both schools have adopted the Chicago Statement and a statement on institutional neutrality but still maintain “yellow light” ratings. Western Michigan University ranks 168 and holds a “red light” rating, meaning it maintains at least one policy that clearly and substantially restricts protected expression.
Michigan is home to one of the nation’s highest ranked schools for free speech, but most campuses still restrict expression. Strengthening campus policies and expanding formal commitments to free speech could help raise the rankings of Michigan’s lower-performing schools.
Highlights
40% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
71% 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.
2.35:1
Across Michigan, there are roughly 2.35 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Average score over time
Speech Controversies
Speech Controversies: When Free Expression Is Challenged
Explore notable incidents where free speech was tested on campuses across Michigan. From speaker deplatformings to administrative actions, these events highlight the challenges — and consequences — of restricting expression.
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.
5
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.
2
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.
0
Attempted Disruptions Attempted Disruptions are the number of incidents where people on campus try to stop a scheduled event or speaker.
0
New in 2025 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
1
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Wayne State University | Pro-Palestinian Student Protesters | A group of pro-Palestinian student protesters were told by campus police that they were not allowed to hold a vigil and pop-up clinic outside the school's Mazurek Medical Education Commons despite having received permission from administrators for the event two months earlier. After the school had shut down two attempts by student protesters to hold their vigil in January, the ACLU sent a February 4 letter of concern to administrators, who days later would publicly acknowledged that campus policies on the use of outdoor space "could be clearer" and that the vigil would be allowed to take place. But when students tried to hold their planned vigil in late March, it was shut down by campus police. | -1.0 |
| 2024 | Central Michigan University | Unnamed student | Students petitioned for the expulsion of an unnamed student for using a racial slur in a video seen on social media. The student was investigated and suspended by the administration. | -1.0 |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | University of Michigan | Marc Dollinger | Dollinger, a professor of Jewish history at San Francisco State University, was inviggted by the university's Judaic Studies Department to talk about his book "Black Power, Jewish Politics," that analyzes the relationship between Jewish and Black political activism during the Civil Rights Movement. During Dollinger's talk, masked students began shouting "Dolling, you can't hide!" and "Zionism is a crime!" A faculty member attempted to engage with the protesters and campus police were called. The protesters left before campus polce arrived and Dollinger resumed his talk and completed it. | 0.0 |
| 2024 | University of Michigan | Honors Convocation | After all of the student awards at 101st Annual Honors Convocation had been haded out, student protesters interrupted university president Santa Ono's remarks by holding up signs that said "No Honor in Genocide," "Divest Now," and "30,000 killed," and chanting "Not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes." Instead of makiing a pro-free-speech statement or directing security to usher the heckler's out, Ono left the stage, ending the event early. | -2.0 |
| 2023 | University of Michigan | Josh Hammer | Minutes after Hammer began his remarks, student protesters stood up and exposed their shirts which featured photos of Palestinians who died in Gaza since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Minutes later, the protesters first coughed and then began shouting to drown out Hammer's remarks. An administrator who then informed the students that their actions violated university policy was also shouted down by the student protesters. The protesters eventually left but continued to bang on the wall outside the room. The event resumed after about 30 minutes of disruption. | -1.0 |
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Rankings and Survey Results
Rankings and Survey Results
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