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.
55.5 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.
163 Treanding Down
/ 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).
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.
2
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
Three Minnesota schools are ranked in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. The state’s average speech-climate grade is F, matching the national average.Carleton College ranks 116 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. It performs best in the country on the “Self-Censorship” component, suggesting that Carleton students are the least likely to hold back their views. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities ranks 146 and has adopted the pro-free speech Chicago Statement. Macalester College ranks 228 and holds a “red light” rating in FIRE’s Spotlight database, meaning its written policies clearly and substantially restrict protected expression. None of the three schools have adopted a statement on institutional neutrality.
All three campuses should remove restrictive speech codes and expand institutional commitments to free expression to improve their free-speech climates.
Highlights
41% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
77% 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.
4.26:1
Across Minnesota, there are roughly 4.26 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 Minnesota. 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.
2
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.
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.
0
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | University of Minnesota | Rebecca Cunningham | During Cunningham's inaguration speech as the 18th president of the university the crowd began chanting "Disclose, divest! We will not stop, we will not rest!" and "Free Free Palestine! Free Free Palestine!" drowning out Cunningham. The chanting continued as other speakers attempted to calm the crown down. A university spokesperson then threatened the protesters with legal action and academic suspension. The protesters took almost five minutes to exit the venue. Cunningham resumed her speech and completed it successfully. | -1.0 |
| 2023 | Macalester College | Blasphemy IX/Blasphemy X | Following student complaints, college administrators temporarily shut down an art exhibit featuring Blasphemy IX and Blasphemy IX, stating some of the works caused "harm." When the college reopened the exhibit it was accompanied by a content warning and views of the "harmful" works were obscured with pages of construction paper. | -1.0 |
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Rankings and Survey Results
Rankings and Survey Results
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The College Free Speech Rankings are based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
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