Shifting Winds: Students Under Fire, 2020-2024
Report
This report examines the efforts to investigate, censor, or otherwise discipline college students for activity that would be protected by the First Amendment.
Create real change on your campus
FIRE provides students with opportunities and support to defend free speech with hands-on experience and training.
Research & Analysis
REPORT: More than 600 college students and student groups punished or investigated for speech in five years
Press Release
A new report from FIRE documents over 1,000 efforts to punish students for speech and expression over a five-year span, 63% of which resulted in some form of administrative punishment.
2026 College Free Speech Rankings: America’s colleges get an ‘F’ for poor free speech climate
Press Release
The sixth annual College Free Speech Rankings show a continued decline in support for free speech among all students, but particularly conservatives.
2024 Student Encampment Protests
Reports
How did the student encampment protests impact the state of free expression on America’s college campuses?
New FIRE survey suggests more than a million students investigated or punished for their speech
Press Release
A new FIRE survey of college students reveals shocking levels of punishment for constitutionally protected expression, or threatened with punishment for their speech.
You're not alone in defending yourself
Campus Rights Advocacy
Need help defending your free speech rights? FIRE may be able to help.
Become a FIRE Free Speech Defender
FIRE provides students with opportunities and support to defend free speech with hands-on experience and training.
Free Speech Forum
Build Your Network
FIRE is bringing together the next generation of free speech leaders at American University in Washington D.C.
Student Press Freedom
Defend Student Newspapers
FIRE’s Student Press Freedom Initiative defends free press on campus by advocating for the rights of student journalists at colleges and universities across the country.
Free Speech Internship
Join Our Team
FIRE offers a 10-week, paid summer internship as part of our efforts to educate students about their rights at colleges and universities.
Student defenders know their colleges’ policies — and they know what your rights are.
Know your rights, defend your rights
Student Defenders
When a college student is accused of violating the code of conduct, they may feel lost, anxious, and scared about their future. That’s where Student Defenders come in. Student Defenders are trained as conduct advisors and work to protect the right to due process, or the right to fair treatment in a disciplinary process, for all students.
Connect with passionate students from across the country
A community of like-minded peers makes a huge difference in supporting your rights on campus. You are not alone.
The most popular free speech student conference.
FIRE Student Conference
Ready to speak out on campus? This is your chance to learn how to ignite your rights. FIRE may also reimburse travel and lodging costs.
Foster civil discourse on your campus
Let's Talk
Higher education — and your college campus — needs healthy, rigorous, and productive conversations. Here’s how you can help.
Host an Event
Get Involved
Are you interested in working with FIRE’s Speakers Bureau to engage your campus community? Take a look at these resources for instructions on how to get started.
Your campus activism promotes free speech for all students.
As a student on campus, your voice is critical to securing free expression at your school. These campus activism tools will enable you to effect change on your campus.
Toolkits to amplify your activism on campus
Toolkit
Learn to spot the signs of restrictive speech policies, educate your campus community, and work to reverse problematic policies.
Working With Student Government
Guide
Interacting with student government leaders can be intimidating but necessary if you want to change your campus.
10 ways you can promote free speech on campus
Checklist
Check out this list for inspiration on some of the many ways you can use campus activism to promote free speech on your campus.
VIDEO: The History of Free Speech with The Nomadic Professor
History of Free Speech
Lesson
How has the concept of free speech been perceived throughout history? How did Socrates, the printing press, and the internet affect people’s right to free speech? Take the journey through history and around the world with The Nomadic Professor to explore this long and fascinating thread of human history.
How Does Your School Compare?
Find out how well your school’s policies protect the free speech rights of students and faculty.
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