USF ranks among the nation’s top universities for free speech, but student survey results reveal a more complicated campus climate. ORACLE GRAPHIC / ALEXIS CARUTHERS
USF ranks among the top 10% of universities nationwide for free speech, but the university still received a C in the College Free Speech Rankings. The contrast raises questions about how free expression is measured and whether students actually feel comfortable speaking their minds on campus.
In 2026, USF earned a 72.7 in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) College Free Speech Rankings, placing it 22nd out of 261 institutions nationwide.
Still, a closer look at the numbers raises questions about what free speech on campus actually looks like.
FIRE, a non-profit organization that evaluates U.S. colleges’ free speech based on student surveys and other measures, published its rankings Sept. 9 USF received a C, and improved from its C- in 2025, when it scored 70.7.
According to the ranking, Florida’s state speech climate grade average was 63.9, meaning USF performed above the state average.
But a higher score than other universities does not necessarily mean students feel comfortable expressing themselves or that the campus is free from hostility toward unpopular opinions.
The ranking considers several factors, including students’ comfort expressing ideas, disruptive conduct, openness, self-censorship, administrative support and political tolerance.
Of these categories, USF’s highest score was a B- on disruptive conduct, and its lowest were administrative support and political tolerance, both with an F.
Being in the top 10% while earning a C says something about the state of free speech on college campuses across the nation.
If a university can rank among the nation’s best and still receive a barely passing grade, perhaps the problem is not just how individual institutions handle free expression, but how free speech is being measured and experienced across higher education.
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For years, free speech has been a hot topic in many discussions about politics, education, and public policy. In today’s tense political climate, those debates have become especially relevant on college campuses, where students are expected to encounter new ideas, challenge their assumptions and engage with people who disagree with them.
The conversation often comes down to whether free speech is truly free. We all learn about the 1st Amendment in school, often understanding it as a sort of shield against anyone or anything that tries to erase or silence our voice.
But constitutional protections do not automatically guarantee that people will feel comfortable expressing their opinions, particularly when those opinions are unpopular.
USF’s survey results offer a closer look at that distinction. According to FIRE, 37% of USF students said they had self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
That means more than one-third of surveyed students reported regularly holding back their views, raising concern about whether students feel they can speak openly in their academic and social environments.
The findings also point to troubling attitudes toward controversial speakers. 66% of USF students said shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus was acceptable in at least rare cases. 30% said the same about using violence to stop someone from speaking.
These responses do not mean that most students regularly engage in disruptive or violent behavior. However, they suggest that a significant portion of respondents are willing to tolerate actions that prevent others from expressing their view, even if only under certain circumstances.
The distinction matters: disagreeing with a speaker is not the same as preventing that person from speaking.
This was interesting to me because they reflect something students may recognize from their own experiences on campus. It is no secret that students when walking around USF may encounter groups or individuals determined to make their voices heard and engage with the campus community.
However, these encounters also highlight how free speech has evolved on college campuses and how students experience it in practice.
I personally believe that some of the groups, like preachers for example, who use USF’s status as a public institution to engage in free speech activities sometimes cross a boundary.
That boundary is not necessarily a legal or physical one, but rather one that many people feel has been crossed. Still, it is worth distinguishing between speech that makes people uncomfortable and actions that actually prevent others from exercising their rights.
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FIRE also recorded zero speech controversies at USF for the ranking period. The organization defines these controversies as campus incidents in which students, professors or speakers face backlash or pressure for speech protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
While that is a positive indicator, the absence of documented controversies does not necessarily mean students, professors and faculty never feel pressured to remain silent.
Free speech on a college campus should mean more than absence of censorship or public controversy. It should also mean that students, professors and faculty can express unpopular opinions, challenge prevailing ideas and participate in difficult conversations without fearing that disagreement alone will make them targets of hostility.
USF’s improvement from a C- to a C is worth acknowledging, and its national ranking suggests it performs relatively well compared with other universities.
Other Florida institutions received lower grades in the 2026 rankings. Florida State University fell four places, from No. 17 to No. 21 out of 261 institutions. The University of Central Florida and Florida International University both received a D, while Florida Atlantic University and the University of Florida earned D- grades. The University of Miami received an F.
However, the survey results show why that progress should not be mistaken for the finished job. A university should not measure success only by how it compares with other institutions, but also by whether its community feels free to speak, listen and disagree.
If USF wants to foster a campus culture that values free expression, it must continue encouraging open debate, protecting academic freedom and making room for perspectives that challenge the majority.
A better ranking is a start, but the real measure of progress is whether students feel they can use their voices.