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.
71.2 Treanding Down
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
31 Treanding Down
/ 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).
C-
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
Overview
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 31 out of 261 schools in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings with a score of 71 and a C- speech climate grade. The campus earns a “green light” Spotlight rating and is part of the University of North Carolina System, which has affirmed the pro-free speech Chicago Statement and a statement on institutional neutrality.UNC ranks in the top 50 for “Political Tolerance,” showing comparatively greater student willingness to host speakers across the ideological spectrum. However, it lands in the bottom 25 for “Self-Censorship” and “Administrative Support,” meaning students frequently stay silent and doubt officials will defend speech.
Given its weak showing on “Administrative Support,” administrators should respond to any instance of censorship, or demand for it, with a clear defense of free expression.
Highlights
52% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
74% 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.
4.86:1
There are roughly 4.86 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Green
Score over time
Student Voices
I was in a course with an anti-Israel professor whose curriculum was just showing anti-Israel propaganda and glorifying the heroism of Hamas, implying that the October 7th massacre was justified as a product of struggle. I felt deeply uncomfortable expressing Israel's side of the story.
Administration response and messaging around peaceful protests & the conflict in Gaza made me feel like I was unable to support the protests. Seeing how they treated students that did nothing but stand made me feel like doing anything beyond performative internet activism was not supported
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Score Calculator
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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 North Carolina Chapel Hill.
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.
71.2 Treanding Down
/ 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.
31 Treanding Down
/ 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).
C-
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.
2
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.
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.
1
Deplatformings Deplatformings are the number of incidents where a scheduled event or speaker is canceled or prevented from taking place.
1
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.
1
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.
1
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill | The Daily Tar Heel/Hill After Hours | Administrators released (and later updated) a public statement announcing that Student Affairs would meet with student leaders of “The Daily Tar Heel" following backlash to its April Fools’ satire edition. The controversy arose after the student newspaper published satirical headlines including “The Daily Woke Heel,” “Trump orders ALE in Chapel Hill to be replaced with ICE agents,” and “UNC brings back DEI — for whites,” which drew criticism from students and campus groups who called the content “harmful” and “unsettling. The statement also announced an investigation into Hill After Hours following backlash to a satirical video also released for April Fools’ Day. The student comedy group published a video sketch depicting a white student traveling to South Campus and describing it with language that critics said invoked racist stereotypes. In response to the article and video, university officials announced a campuswide “conversation” for those who “experienced harm,” and stated that Student Affairs would investigate the video and meet with the DTH. A week later, and after receiving a letter from FIRE, UNC updated its public statement, clarifying that no student group was under investigation and that the university is committed to upholding the First Amendment. | 0.0 | Read More |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill | Palestinian Resilience Mural | University administrators directed facilities staff to cover a large pro-Palestinian art mural in the Hanes Art Center lobby with plywood boards. The piece, created by students and community members in Professor Hồng-An Trương’s Studio Art 490: Art as Social Action class, had been on display for about a year and featured Palestinian colors and text calling for an end to genocide. The decision to cover up the mural was made without consulting the Art department. A university spokesperson said the mural had been up long enough, and that it was boarded to prevent damage until it was removed. Faculty and students criticized the move as censorship and a threat to academic freedom, while the Art department chair protested with a posted sign. The mural had originated after UNC police dismantled a pro-Palestinian encampment in April 2024, and although an alum had previously complained about the work, university counsel reportedly concluded it did not violate university rules since it was produced as classwork. | -2.0 | Read More |
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More Student Voices
In a discussion, a friend mentioned that it was the fault of young white men that Trump was elected president. I then asked what they thought was the cause of the shift in party lines in young white men, and then they were unwilling to have a conversation about it. I was then criticised and felt compelled to "prove" that I was a liberal, despite wanting to explore that idea.
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill 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.
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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.
