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.
58.5 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.
115 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.
3
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
Thirteen Ohio schools are ranked in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. The state’s average speech-climate grade is F, matching the national average.Wright State University ranks 49 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. Ohio University, Bowling Green State University, and Miami University also rank in the top 70. All four schools hold “yellow light” ratings in FIRE’s Spotlight database, meaning their written policies contain at least one provision that threatens student expression.
Ten of the thirteen ranked schools — including Ohio State, Case Western Reserve, and Kenyon College — have adopted the pro-free speech Chicago Statement. However, no school in the state has adopted a statement on institutional neutrality. The University of Dayton ranks 224 and holds a “red light” rating, meaning it maintains at least one policy that clearly and substantially restricts protected expression.
Clarifying campus policies and expanding institutional support for expressive rights could help Ohio’s schools improve their speech climates.
Highlights
44% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
72% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
33% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
1.56:1
Across Ohio, there are roughly 1.56 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 Ohio. 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.
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.
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.
2
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Case Western Reserve University | Law Students for Justice in Palestine | Administrators summoned Law Students for Justice in Palestine to a meeting for several social media posts which violate the school's Code of Conduct and Freedom of Expression policies. Among these violations were promoting unapproved (or disapproved) campus events; boycotting faculty members due to their identity; editing images of individuals, using "targeted language" such "bootlicker" and "bitches"; and using the phrase "From the river to the sea" -- a phrase which the university determined to be "intimidating and/or threatening." | -1.0 |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kent State University | "We only have to get lucky once." | The university removed an art installation that depicted a picture of President Donald Trump's face with a rife pointed towards it and the phrase "we only have to get lucky once." After images of the art installation circulated in the press and on social media, the university was accused of hosting "assasination art," and state lawmakers condemned the exhibit and stated that a review of the university's funding was warranted. In response the university removed the dsiplay, denouncing it as "inconsistent with the university’s values." | -3.0 |
| 2023 | The Ohio State University | Jumana Manna/Alexis Nikole Nelson/Orlando Zane Hunter Jr./Ricarrdo Valentine/Mary Rodriguez | Manna, a Palestinian a visual artist and filmmaker, was scheduled to appear on a panel with Nelson, a forager and outdoor educator, and Hunter Jr. and Valentine, an interdisciplinary dance duo, that was going to be moderated by Rodriguez a few weeks after October 7, 2023 to discuss the creative future of food. The university's Wexner Center for the Arts canceled the panel because it was not the right time to have conversations about a region at war. | -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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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.
