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.
67.8 Treanding Down
/ 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.
43 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).
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).
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
Overview
Ten North Carolina 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. North Carolina boasts one of the largest concentrations of top-performing campuses in the country — six schools in the state rank in the top 25.The University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranks 6 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. All seven UNC system campuses in the rankings hold “green light” ratings in FIRE’s Spotlight database, meaning their written policies do not seriously threaten student expression. The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors has adopted the pro-free speech Chicago Statement and a statement on institutional neutrality, applying to all UNC system schools in the rankings.
Davidson College ranks 78 and holds a “yellow light” rating. It has adopted the Chicago Statement but not institutional neutrality. Wake Forest University ranks 186 and is the lowest-ranked school in the state. It holds a “yellow light” rating and has not adopted either statement. Strengthening campus policies and expanding free speech protections would help Wake Forest catch up to its higher-performing peers.
Highlights
45% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
73% 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.
1.91:1
Across North Carolina, there are roughly 1.91 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 North Carolina. 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.
1
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.
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.
2
Scholars Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Duke University | Kendall Conger | Conger's contract was not renewed after publicly criticizing the school's 2021 “pledge” against racism in medicine. | -2.0 |
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Davidson College | Young Americans for Freedom | The Dean of Students Office contacted Young Americans for Freedom after receiving complaints that the group had distributed a pamphlet containing "misinformation that promotes islamophobia" and shared a post from Libs of TikTok that "speculate[es] the sex/gender identity" of Algerian boxer Imane Khelif which allegedly "includes misinformation that promotes transphobia." In its letter to YAF, the Dean of Students Office announced an alleged Code of Responsibilities violation, and stated that the group could either acccept responsibility or agree to a council hearing. | -1.0 |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | University of North Carolina Charlotte | IDF Soldier I/IDF Soldier II | The university chapter of Students Supporting Israel (SSI) organized an event titled "Triggered: From Combat to Campus," featured two active-duty Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers sharing their experiences. Prior to the event, opposition emerged from student organizations, notably Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the Revolutionary Student Front. They initiated an online petition titled "IDF Off Our Campus," gathering over 400 signatures, urging the university administration to cancel the event. The petition labeled the IDF soldiers as "genociders and war criminals" and argued that hosting them violated the university's neutrality policy by causing distress among students. Despite these protests, the university permitted the event to proceed but required SSI to cover a $5,000 fee for additional security measures, including 16 police officers and six staff security personnel. This decision was made to ensure safety due to the anticipated protests. On the day of the event, supporters and opponents of the event engaged in demonstrations, reflecting the deep divisions among students regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. University officials emphasized their commitment to free speech and the peaceful exchange of ideas, implementing security protocols to maintain a respectful environment. The event was successfully held. | -2.0 |
| 2024 | The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill | Barri Weiss/Frank Bruni | About 25 minutes into Weiss' discussion with Bruni, protesters affiliated with Students for Justice in Palestine began waving Palestine flags and shouting at the stage. A university administrator took to the podium and informed the protesters that, as per university policy, they are not allowed to disrupt the event and must leave. Police escorted the protesters out of the event and Weiss and Bruni resumed and completed their discussion. | 0.0 |
| 2024 | Wake Forest University | Rabab Abdulhadi | The university’s Humanities Institute, Department of History, Department of Politics & International Affairs, Middle East South Asian Studies Program, and the National Endowment for the Humanities scheduled an event featuring Abdulhadi, a professor and founding director of the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies Program at San Francisco State University, for October 7, 2024. Abdulhadi's scheuled talk was titled “One Year Since al-Aqsa Flood: Reflections on a Year of Genocide and Resistance.” A student initiated petition, that garnered over 8,500 signatures, demanded the university rescind Abdulhadi's invitation because Abdulhadi has "publicly threatened Jewish students" and "publicly supported and celebrated terrorists." The university revoked Abdulhadi's invitation to speak on campus. | -2.0 |
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Rankings and Survey Results
Rankings and Survey Results
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