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.
62.5 Treanding Up
/ 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.
115 Treanding Down
/ 261
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).
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).
D-
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
This year FIRE added four additional Colorado schools to the rankings. Ten Colorado schools are ranked in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings. The state’s average speech climate grade is D, compared to the national average of D-.Colorado Mesa University ranks 19 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. It earns a “green light” rating in FIRE’s Spotlight database and ranks second nationally for “Administrative Support,” indicating students trust leaders to defend speech. The University of Colorado Boulder follows at 23, also holding a green light rating. CU Boulder adopted a statement on institutional neutrality, and the University of Colorado affirmed the pro-free speech Chicago Statement.
Most remaining campuses hold “yellow light” ratings. Fort Lewis College and Adams State University rank lowest at 182 and 225, respectively, and maintain “red light” ratings. Revising restrictive student policies and adopting formal commitments would help improve these schools’ speech climates.
Highlights
37% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
68% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
28% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
2.59:1
Across Colorado, there are roughly 2.59 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 Colorado. 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.
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.
1
Students Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Colorado Mesa University | Young Democratic Socialists of America | Colorado Mesa University administrators suspended the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) chapter for four days, halting its activities and canceling a planned protest. The controversy arose after the group publicized a “rally, march, and fundraiser in solidarity with Minnesota” related to immigration policy without completing the university’s event approval process, prompting administrators to cite procedural violations for the suspension. Following a meeting with Student Services officials, the university lifted the suspension and reinstated the group, allowing the event to proceed as planned; however, updated promotional materials no longer referenced the organization’s affiliation with the university. Administrators stated in a public response that the initial decision was based on policy compliance rather than the event’s content or viewpoint. | -2.0 | Read More |
| 2025 | University of Colorado Boulder | Ašiihkionkonci Parker | The University of Colorado suspended Parker, a journalist with the independent newspaper “El Diario de la Gente,” after they covered a protest at a university career fair. The protest, led by Students for Justice in Palestine, involved demonstrators linking arms and chanting around a Lockheed Martin booth. Parker filmed and photographed the event from outside the protest circle. The next day, the university notified Parker that they had been suspended for violating multiple university policies. | -1.0 | Read More |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | University of Colorado Boulder | "The Time That Remains" | Boulder Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and the student filmmaking collective Give Us The F-ing Camera (GUT-C) planned to screen “The Time That Remains” in an auditorium inside the university's ATLAS Institute. As students arrived to set up, university police officers blocked people from entering the space and informed organizers they could not proceed; reporting based on a police report indicates university “executive leadership” asked police to respond rather than engage the groups beforehand. Administrators said the screening violated campus event procedures — stating the groups failed to complete an Event Management Form required for certain events (including after-hours and public events) and that SJP was “not in good standing,” making it ineligible to host or co-host on campus. Organizers disputed that explanation, saying the room had been reserved through the usual process (with an email confirmation) and alleging the university was selectively targeting SJP’s Palestine-related activity; GUT-C also said an officer warned the registered group it could face sanctions if the screening went forward. The screening was canceled that night and later rescheduled, according to one account. | -2.0 | Read More |
| 2024 | University of Denver | Erin Lee/Kevin Lundberg | Lee, and former local politician Kevin Lundberg, were invited to campus by the school's Turning Point USA chapter to screen their film “Art Club” that is critical of gender transitioning, and then participate in a Q&A session afterwards. Prior to their appearance on campus, students started a petition opposing the screening and Q&A. The petition garnered over 600 signatures. Many student attendees chanted pro-transgender slogans, beat their fists on tables, held up protest signs, and shouted over the audio of the film during the screening. Student protesters outside the room also made it difficult for attendees to hear the audio of the film or the speakers’ remarks. Lee and Lundberg were escorted off-campus by security at the conclusion of the event. | -1.0 | Read More |
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Rankings and Survey Results
Rankings and Survey Results
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