Hannah Parcells
The Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression, a national nonprofit free speech organization, released their 2025 College Free Speech rankings, including updated ratings for Colorado State University.
CSU saw a 22-spot drop in overall rankings for free speech, sinking from No. 91 to No. 113 among 257 schools evaluated. FIRE’s score for CSU dropped 0.3% from 2024, earning a score of 58.1.
FIRE’s overall score is composed of 12 parts: six of them weigh student survey input about free speech regulation and policies on campus, three parts are for evaluation surrounding published speech policies at CSU and the remaining three reflect how campus communities respond during speech crises.
CSU earned an overall letter grade of F for free speech and expression. This did not change from 2024.
According to student data surveyed and collected by FIRE, 43% of students said they have self-censored at least once or twice a month. According to FIRE, self-censored is defined as “how often students hold back their views on campus.”
Other highlighted data reported that 72% of students believe shouting at a controversial speaker on campus was acceptable to prevent them from speaking. Twenty-seven percent of students reported that violence was acceptable to stop someone from speaking on campus, at least in rare cases.
FIRE reported that there are 1.59 self-reported liberal students per one conservative student on campus. This is a decrease from University of Colorado, where there are 3.44 liberals per one conservative. CU Boulder received an overall score of 74.5 and is ranked No. 5 in the country for free speech and expression.
FIRE’s evaluations for CSU yielded a “Yellow” label from FIRE surrounding free speech culture.
There was no change in the student rating for comfort expressing ideas, which remains at a D-. The score for disruptive conduct, which FIRE classifies as “how acceptable students think it is to disrupt a campus speaker,” rose to a C+.
The score around openness, or, “How many controversial topics students feel they can openly discuss on campus,” increased to a C-. Self-censorship decreased to an F rating, and political tolerance, or, “How willing students are to allow controversial speakers — on both the left and the right — speak on campus, even if they disagree with their views,” sank to an F as well.
The rating for administrative support rose to a D-, reflecting an increase in student belief that the administration fosters free speech and free expression.
Reach Allie Seibel at news@collegian.com or on social media @allie_seibel_.