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.
57.8 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.
176 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).
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.
2
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).
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 Minnesota schools are ranked in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings. The state’s average speech climate grade is F, below the national average of D-.Carleton College ranks 116 overall and is the top-ranked school in the state. It holds a “yellow light” rating in FIRE’s Spotlight database and ranks in the top 25 for “Openness,” suggesting students can freely discuss difficult topics.
The University of Minnesota and Macalester College follow at ranks 204 and 207, respectively. UMN holds a yellow light rating and ranks in the bottom 25 for “Comfort Expressing Ideas,” suggesting students struggle to speak openly. Its faculty senate has affirmed the pro-free speech Chicago Statement and a statement on institutional neutrality. Macalester holds a “red light” rating. Reforming restrictive written student policies and officially adopting public commitments to expression would help improve these schools’ speech climates.
Highlights
41% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
72% 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.
4.87:1
Across Minnesota, there are roughly 4.87 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 Minnesota. 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.
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.
1
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.
0
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.
1
New in 2026 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
1
Scholars Under Fire
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | University of Minnesota | Raz Segal | Segal, a professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Stockton University, was selected to become the Faculty Director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CHGS), a tenure-track role leading research, public programming, and teaching on genocide and mass atrocity studies. After Segal's hiring was announced controversy erupted over an op-ed he had written in October 2023, shortly after Hamas’s attack on Israel and Israel’s military response in Gaza. Segal wrote that characterizing Israel’s assault on Gaza as “a textbook case of genocide.” He explained that his use of the term “genocide” referred to deliberate policies causing mass civilian suffering, and separately condemned the Hamas attack as a war crime. Two members of CHGS’s advisory board resigned in protest, citing Segal’s published views as incompatible with the center’s mission and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas led a public campaign urging the university to rescind Segal’s appointment, arguing his views were “extreme” and that he had “justified” the Hamas-led October 7 attack. Over 200 University of Minnesota faculty signed a letter demanding the administration honor its offer; but at the same time, some local faculty and community groups circulated petitions opposing Segal’s hire. The university's interim president and its provost announced that they were “considering the views of those who objected” and officially “paused” Segal’s appointment and the CHGS director search to allow for further review. The administration characterized the pause as a necessary consultation with community stakeholders but drew sharp criticism from faculty governance bodies. After failing to reverse course, the university formally rescinded Segal’s job offer, effectively terminating his appointment before it began. | -4.0 | Read More |
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | University of Minnesota | Avanelle Mitchell | The university's Turning Point USA chapter hosted an event featuring Mitchell, as part of the Leadership Institute’s Free to Speak National Campus Tour. During the event, members of the Planned Parenthood Generation Action chapter attempted to disrupt the meeting, somewhat obstructing the view of the stage and leading to conflict between the groups. Mitchell finished her remarks. | -2.0 | Read More |
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Rankings and Survey Results
Rankings and Survey Results
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