Speech Code Reports

FIRE publishes an annual report that condenses the considerable research in our Spotlight database into an accessible picture of the state of free expression on our nation’s campuses. The report surveys speech codes at America’s largest and most prestigious colleges and universities, providing readers with key data on individual schools and national trends.

FIRE’s newest speech code report, Spotlight on Speech Codes 2022: The State of Free Speech on Our Nation’s Campuses, reveals that 18.5% of the 481 colleges and universities analyzed maintain “red light” policies that seriously infringe upon the free speech rights of students. This is a drop of about three percentage points from last year’s figure. In an encouraging development, there are now more public schools earning our highest, “green light” rating than there are earning a red light rating.

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Previous Speech Code Reports