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.
52.3 Treanding Up
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
251 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).
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.
5
Overview
The University of Texas at Dallas ranks 251 out of 261 schools in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings with a score of 52 and an F speech climate grade. Multiple administrative actions involving the student press contributed to its ranking.UT Dallas lands in the bottom 25 for “Administrative Support,” showing little trust in officials to defend speech, and in the bottom 50 for “Self-Censorship,” as students frequently stay silent.
The campus earns a “red light” Spotlight rating. The University of Texas System’s board has affirmed the pro-free speech Chicago Statement, which applies to UT Dallas, and the system has also affirmed institutional neutrality. UT Dallas should revise student policies to earn a “green light” Spotlight rating. Given its weak showing on “Administrative Support,” administrators should respond clearly and forcefully to defend free speech whenever censorship occurs or is demanded.
Highlights
42% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
63% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
30% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
3.36:1
There are roughly 3.36 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Red
Score over time
Student Voices
UTD has more liberal students than conservative, which I think would be difficult to address different views. Although you cannot not expect disagreement, majority of liberals tend to not be the understanding type, making the expression of different views pointless.
During the peak of the Palestine genocide from Israel, the school handles the protests terribly and arrested professors. We even removed the spirit rock- which students wrote their opinions on. It was the only “school spirit” unique item we had in the whole school. Because students expressed support for Palestine on the rocks they were removed permanently.
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 Texas at Dallas.
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.
52.3 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.
251 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).
F
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.
5
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
Red
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).
B-
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).
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.
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.
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.
4
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.
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.
2
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Ellie Maguire | Maguire was one of two student journalists summoned to an administrative meeting for “openly critiqu[ing]” another student media outlet. In December 2025, Maguire, the marketing director for the opinion and satire magazine AMP, and a student journalist with Radio UTD were invited by a fellow student to provide feedback on a recent issue of “The Mercury” campus newspaper. Days later, both students were called into a meeting with administrators, reprimanded for “being mean, as opposed to being constructive,” and told that offering feedback “in the public space is not appropriate, even if it’s invited.” | -1.0 | Read More |
| 2026 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Students for Justice in Palestine | University of Texas at Dallas administrators suspended the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter for one year, revoking its ability to operate on campus and access university resources. The controversy arose after the university opened an investigation on Sept. 2, 2025, into a May 16 commencement demonstration in which pro-Palestinian students briefly (reportedly about 28 seconds) interrupted President Richard Benson’s speech with chants including “From Columbia to UTD, we are all SJP.” Administrators later concluded that “the speech made during the disruption, SJP’s social media posts calling for disruption of commencement ceremonies, and SJP’s subsequent dissemination via social media of video recordings of these disruptive activities are sufficient to support the conclusion that SJP and/or its members led, incited and/or participated in this disruption,” citing in part Instagram posts encouraging attendees to wear keffiyehs and display Palestinian flags. SJP disputed the findings, arguing the protest was autonomous and that the university relied on guilt-by-association rather than evidence of direct involvement. Following a disciplinary process and appeal, the suspension was upheld through February 2027. | -2.0 | Read More |
| 2025 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Gregorio Olivares Gutierrez | Olivares Gutierrez was issued a two-year suspension when administrators equated his editorial suggestions and the inclusion of a disclaimer with a letter to the editor with discriminatory harassment. On July 30, 2024, UT Dallas Hillel president Jade Steinberg submitted a letter to the editor of “The Mercury” student newspaper about antisemitism on campus. Olivares Gutierrez, then-editor-in-chief Gregorio suggested edits — accepted by the author — and later added a disclaimer stating the letter “does not meet the journalistic standards of ‘The Mercury’” due to a lack of credible sources. The day after the letter's publication, Steinberg filed an incident report with the Office of Institutional Compliance, whose investigation found Gutierrez’s acts were “subjectively and objectively offensive” and “severe and pervasive.” On November 12, 2025, the university found Gutierrez responsible for discriminatory harassment and issued a two-year deferred suspension. FIRE wrote to the university days later, arguing that Gutierrez’s actions were protected editorial judgment and urging the university to clear his record. The university subsequently postponed the suspension pending the outcome of Gutierrez’s appeal. | -1.0 | Read More |
| 2024 | The University of Texas at Dallas | The Mercury | Administrators fired all student staffers of “The Mercury” after the paper went on strike in response to the removal of its editor-and-chief. Following the “The Mercury’s” summer coverage of administrative handling of pro-Palestinian student protests, the paper experienced months of contentious relations with administrators, including being prohibited from attending journalism conferences in alleged retaliation for denying the Director of Student Media access to summer meetings, as well as the outing of the paper's editor-in-chief in September. In response to this, the remaining 10 members of the paper released a public statement announcing a strike until the editor-in-chief be reinstated. Several weeks later, student affairs fired all 10 members, leading the students to start their own independent paper called the “Retrograde.” | -1.0 | Read More |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The University of Texas at Dallas | Dominic Coletti | University administrators canceled Coletti's talk, titled "Why You Should Care About Free Speech on Campus," less than 24 hours before it was set to begin. Coletti, a FIRE program officer, had been invited by the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL). The cancellation was triggered when a reporter from the student newspaper, The Mercury, contacted university administrators with questions about whether the event complied with school policies. This prompted administrators to investigate and ultimately revoke the student group’s room reservation. The university cited a rule prohibiting outside organizations from reserving campus space or organizing events through student groups, asserting that FIRE — not YAL — had arranged the event. FIRE contested the university’s justification, arguing that the policy was vaguely defined and selectively enforced, especially since the university had allowed other student groups to host events co-sponsored by external organizations. | -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
In one of my political science classes, we were discussing immigration policy, and nearly everyone seemed to share the same viewpoint. The professor strongly praised comments that supported that perspective. I had a different opinion, but I stayed quiet because I worried my classmates would see me as insensitive and that the professor might think I was being argumentative. I didn’t want to risk social tension or it affecting how I was perceived in the class.
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at The University of Texas at Dallas 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.
