Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
68.3 Treanding Up
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
40 Treanding Up
/ 261
Overall 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.
4
Overview
The University of Alabama ranks 40 out of 261 schools in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings with a score of 68 and a D+ speech climate grade, climbing 49 places from last year. UA earns a “green light” Spotlight rating. UA is part of the University of Alabama System, which has affirmed the pro-free speech Chicago Statement and institutional neutrality.UA lands in the bottom 25 for “Openness,” meaning many contentious topics feel off-limits to students. It tumbled 126 places from last year into the bottom 25 for “Self-Censorship,” showing students frequently stay silent. The data shows no top 50 strengths.
UA should respond clearly and forcefully to defend free speech whenever censorship occurs or is demanded. Doing so will demonstrate the university’s commitment to free speech and build community trust that the administration will defend expressive rights.
Highlights
52% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
65% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
35% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
1.54:1
There are roughly 1.54 conservative students for every one liberal student.
Spotlight Rating
Green
Score over time
Student Voices
Professors have always been lovely and have talked openly about how it is normal to have different opinions and we should all be able to share them and argue them politely, however the students and their judgements sometimes tend to make me not want to speak on certain things as to not be judged or even possibly hurt because of my views especially in the state of Alabama.
Alabama is a pretty pro Israel place and I feel like if I express myself as a supporter of saving innocent Palestinian lives and not supporting the genocide that Israel is committing then I would probably be called antisemitic.
Make Your Voice Heard: share this report with your school administrators
Take the next step — send this report to your school and show them that real improvement is possible.
Score Calculator
'How to Improve Your School' Score Calculator
Every school's score is shaped by campus policies. Adjust the factors below to see how different policies affect the ranking for The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa.
Score Deep Dive
Inside the Score
Explore the key factors shaping this score. This section provides a detailed look at the data, policies, and student experiences that influence free speech on campus.
Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
68.3 Treanding Up
/ 100
This score out of 100 reflects how open and supportive a campus is for free speech, based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
40 Treanding Up
/ 261
A comparison of 261 U.S. colleges and universities on free speech, based on overall scores from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Overall 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+
A school’s speech climate, shown as a letter grade (A–F), based on its overall score from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
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.
4
Reflect recent incidents where a speaker, professor, student, or student group faced efforts to punish, disinvite, or silence them for expressing a controversial view.
Chicago Statement for Free Speech
Adopted
Institutional Neutrality
Adopted
Spotlight Rating
Green
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).
D
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
Speech Controversies
Speech Controversies: When Free Expression Is Challenged
Explore notable incidents where free speech was tested on campus. From speaker deplatformings to administrative actions, these events highlight the challenges — and consequences — of restricting expression.
Total 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.
4
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.
2
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.
0
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 2026 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
0
Scholars Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa | Candice Hale | Hale, an adjunct instructor of Gender and Race Studies at the university, was terminated following Facebook comments made a day after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Hale posted: "I do not mourn oppressors. I do not show them empathy. I don't give a damn about evil, racist, fascist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, mediocre white men who claim to be Christian individuals and then do everything Christ would not do on Earth. I will not mourn the wicked. We are getting closer and closer to the real assignment." Hale was then called by the department chair who informed her that the university president had seen her comments and that the dean would be issuing her a termination letter. | -2.0 | Read More |
| 2024 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa | Jennifer Collins | Collins, a professor of American Studies at the university and an instructor in the university's College of Communication, posted a controversial comment on her personal Facebook page regarding an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. She suggested the incident was staged and added that Trump "had it coming," referencing lyrics from the musical Chicago. Following media coverage of her post, Collins' profile was removed from the university's website, and the university confirmed she was no longer employed there. The university did not specify whether her departure was a direct result of the Facebook post or if her contract had ended prior to the incident. FIRE intervened, asserting that Collins' comments were protected under the First Amendment, which safeguards rhetorical hyperbole and criticism of public figures. FIRE urged the university to reinstate her. In response, the university stated that Collins was an adjunct instructor whose contract had expired before the Facebook post. | -1.0 | Read More |
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa | Nineteen Fifty-Six/Alice Magazine | The University of Alabama suspended “Alice Magazine” and “Nineteen Fifty-Six,” both student-run magazines, citing a non-binding legal memo from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. The memo warned against the use of “unlawful proxies” for protected characteristics as a potential violation of anti-discrimination laws. However, “The Crimson White” student newspaper reported that both magazines had hired staff outside their target audiences, suggesting the university’s actions were based not on exclusionary practices, but on the groups’ expressive focus. After FIRE sent a letter urging the university to reverse its decision, UA defended the closures by claiming that consolidating the two outlets into a general-interest magazine would create “more opportunities” for students. | -1.0 | Read More |
| 2025 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa | Young Americans for Freedom | Administrators denied Young Americans for Freedom's renewal application after the group refused to use required language in its constitution. The university required all student groups to include a nondiscrimination statement in their constitution, which included specific reference to "gender identity," "gender expression," and "sexual identity." Not wishing to validate "gender ideology," the group emailed the University President along with the state attorney general to complain about the requirement. The university would ultimately grant the group an exception, allowing them to exclude these terms from their constitution, leading to a student protest. | -2.0 | Read More |
Support the Fight for Free Speech
When you give to FIRE, you join a movement dedicated to restoring free speech as both a legal right and a cultural value celebrated by Americans everywhere. Donations are 100% tax-deductible. Please join us in this important work with a gift today!
More Student Voices
Anytime I write for a heavily left leaning professor I struggle with sharing political beliefs that directly oppose what I believe they would believe. In the end I force myself to be true to what I believe and it tends to be fine. There have been cases where I disagreed with my grade and it could've been because of the content shared. Unfortunately there is no way to prove that.
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa perceive free speech on their campus. This section breaks down survey responses to key questions, providing insights into overall trends as well as demographic differences in how students experience free expression.
Reach out to FIRE
Have a question or want to share your feedback? We'd love to hear from you! Use the button below to contact us.
See Your School's Ranking
The College Free Speech Rankings are based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
FIRE Fights for Your Rights
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.
