How will 3 Utah universities respond to low grades on annual campus free speech survey?

SALT LAKE CITY — The "grades" assigned to three Utah universities by a group dedicated to defending free speech on American campuses would likely earn each school a spot on its own academic probation list.

Utah State University was given the state's top overall grade — a "D."

Meanwhile, the University of Utah and Utah Valley University received a "D-" and an "F," respectively.

But if it's any consolation to those Utah schools, the average overall survey score on the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, 2027 rankings of 261 American higher education institutions corresponds to a D-.

FIRE, which is more than two decades old, says its mission is "to defend and sustain the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty."

Charlie Kirk's Sept. 10, 2025, killing at Utah Valley University prompted "a wave of censorship" across American college campuses far beyond Orem, asserted FIRE in its annual report.

But there were also signs of measured improvements. For example, the percentage of college students who said it was acceptable to use violence or block entry to impede campus speech declined slightly from a year earlier.

"At a tumultuous time for higher education, we are seeing some progress in campus free speech policies and indications that students may be less willing to tolerate shoutdowns and violence on campus compared to recent years," said FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff, in a release presenting the rankings.

But the overall state of free speech on campus, he added, is grim.

"Too many college administrators wield their power to cancel controversial speakers, cave to government or student calls for censorship, and limit academic freedom."

Kirk's assassination looms over this year's FIRE free speech report. Over half of the students at 61 of the ranked schools said Kirk is "difficult to discuss" on campus. And nine schools lost ranking points after punishing faculty over Kirk-related comments.

Meanwhile, some campus chapters of Kirk's group Turning Point USA "have been denied recognition or faced calls for their de-recognition as an official student organization," noted the FIRE report.

"The impact of Charlie Kirk's assassination continues to negatively reverberate on campuses across the country," said FIRE chief researcher Sean Stevens in the report.

"Rather than view the tragedy as a warning about the extreme results of partisanship and inability to peacefully engage in dialogue, many college admins took it as an invitation to double down on censorship."

The FIRE report's top five colleges for free speech: University of Chicago, Claremont McKenna College, Georgia Institute of Technology-main campus, Michigan Technological University and Vanderbilt University.

And the lowest-ranked schools: New York University, University of Washington-Seattle campus, Texas State University, Northeastern University and Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

Response: Utah Valley University

FIRE gave Utah Valley University an "F" — calling the ranking "painfully understandable" after Kirk's assassination on the grounds of the Orem campus.

In addition to counting as a "free speech controversy," the Kirk slaying "led many students in FIRE's survey to volunteer their increased fear about speaking out on campus."

FIRE also conducted a separate post-assassination survey of UVU students which revealed that students were "less comfortable expressing controversial political views in class, in common campus spaces and on social media after what happened to Kirk."

The survey also noted UVU's cancellation of author Sharon McMahon's commencement speech invitation following her comments after Kirk's death.

When invited to respond to the FIRE report, a UVU spokesperson provided this statement:

"UVU is firmly committed to free speech and consistently focuses on strengthening the culture of free expression on our campus.

"We exist to help people learn, exchange ideas, and have thoughtful conversations even when they disagree. Our goal is to protect the ability of our students, faculty and staff to express their views even when those views are unpopular or challenge others."

The school included additional information on UVU's "commitment to free expression."

• Supporting peaceful protests: UVU welcomes protests and demonstrations as opportunities for the free exchange of ideas. When protests occur on campus, UVU designates space for protesters to gather and express their views while minimizing disruption to students attending class. The university also assigns an officer to the group to help ensure their safety. This allows protesters to exercise their right to express their views while supporting a safe, accessible environment for the larger campus community.
• Providing space for diverse viewpoints: The university provides temporary signage opportunities for registered student clubs across the political and ideological spectrum, including the Civil Disobedience Club and Turning Point USA.
• Protecting the distribution of ideas: Students may distribute noncommercial, UVU-related handbills, petitions and other written materials throughout campus without prior approval, subject to the university's location and disruption restrictions.
• Investing in civil dialogue: UVU's Our Better Selves for a Better America initiative equips individuals with skills in civil dialogue, conflict navigation, principled negotiation and peacemaking. Welcoming challenging perspectives: Through the Our Better Selves for a Better America initiative and other university-sponsored events, UVU offers lectures, debates and other opportunities designed to expose students and the broader campus community to different perspectives.
• Maintaining institutional neutrality: Consistent with Utah System of Higher Education guidance on institutional neutrality, UVU and its leaders speaking on behalf of the institution do not take official positions on political, social or cultural issues unless they directly impact the university's mission, operations or core values.

Response: The University of Utah

The FIRE report gave the University of Utah a D- "speech climate grade" that included a penalty for administrators reportedly requiring a student to alter event signage.

The University of Utah did receive high "Political Tolerance" marks for showing "greater student willingness" to host controversial speakers, but low marks for "Openness" by making contentious topics feel off-limits, according to FIRE.

Responding to the FIRE report, the University of Utah issued a statement to the Deseret News, saying policies are in place to ensure that the exercise of free speech is balanced with the need to maintain a safe and orderly campus.

"As Utah's flagship institution of higher learning, the University of Utah educates and encourages students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus to explore controversial ideas and learn how to thoughtfully consider divergent viewpoints.

"This is an essential part of the college experience and facilitates learning through open debate and study of the First Amendment and the rights to free speech."

The statement added that students, faculty and staff are encouraged to speak out on social/political issues, engage in peaceful protests, distribute literature and form or join organizations.

In response to specific recommendations made by FIRE, the University of Utah said it supports freedom of expression — "including speech that may be controversial, offensive or deeply upsetting."

Such freedoms, the school added, must coexist with "our shared responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of others."

The University of Utah, the statement added, adheres to the Utah System of Higher Education's Institutional Neutrality Policy to not take positions on political, social, or cultural controversies, public debates or "flashpoint moments" except when those issues "impeded the institution's mission or functioning."

Utah State University

While still receiving a D "speech climate grade," Utah State University jumped 87 spots in FIRE's College Free Speech Rankings from the year before.

The Logan-based school ranked in the top-25 for "Disruptive Conduct" revealing diminished student acceptance of non-peaceful forms of protest.

Meanwhile, USU's "Self-Censorship" rank placed it in the survey's top-50, "meaning students report less hesitancy to speak."

But 57% of surveyed USU students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.

"Universities play a unique role in the discovery, expansion, and dissemination of knowledge by fostering scientific exploration, free inquiry, and a robust exchange of ideas. Free speech is the cornerstone of this pursuit of knowledge and safeguarding an open environment for free expression is paramount to Utah State University fulfilling its mission and principles of community," according to USU's website on free speech and institutional neutrality.

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