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.
68.8 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.
29 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).
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
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).
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
Three Arizona schools are ranked in the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings. The state’s average speech-climate grade is one of the best in the country at D+.Arizona State University ranks 23 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. ASU students give relatively high marks for “Political Tolerance,” indicating openness to controversial speakers across the spectrum.
Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona rank 31 and 32, respectively. All three campuses have “green light” ratings in FIRE’s Spotlight database, meaning their written policies do not seriously threaten student expression. ASU and NAU have adopted the pro-free speech Chicago Statement, while the University of Arizona faculty senate has formally affirmed it.
Highlights
46% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
73% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
38% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
2.10:1
Across Arizona, there are roughly 2.10 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 Arizona. 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.
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.
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.
2
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.
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 2025 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Arizona State University | College Republicans United | Multiple student groups and elected officials called upon the university to take action against College Republicans United (CRU) for a social media post announcing plans to encourage students to report classmates to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). CRU’s announcement led to multiple student organizations to demand administrative intervention. Additionally, numerous Arizona House Democrats and other officials contacted the university demanding the group be investigated and have its registered status revoked. Although Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) claimed the university was investigating the matter, but ASU made no such announcement. | +1.0 | Read More |
| 2024 | Arizona State University | Mecha | The administration suspended Mecha for a social media post wherein the student group refused to condemn the actions of Hamas and called for the death of various groups they saw as objectionable colonizers. | -1.0 | Read More |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Arizona State University | Rashida Tlaib | Jewish students organized an email campaign asking the university president to uninvite Tlaib because of Tlaib’s views on Israel. The university canceled Tlaib’s talk, claiming organizers didn’t meet university requirements for crowd management, parking, security, and insurance. Organizers claimed the administrative objections were a pretext for canceling the talk. | -1.0 | Read More |
| 2023 | Northern Arizona University | Charlie Kirk | Students protested Kirk’s appearance on campus, bringing noisemakers to Kirk’s booth on campus, where he was holding an open debate. Protesters objected to Kirk’s support for former President Donald Trump and Kirk’s views on transgender rights. At the event, Kirk could not be heard over shouting and heckling. | -1.0 | Read More |
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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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