The Academic Freedom Report Card
Assessing Free Speech on U.S. College and University Campuses
The profiles of the 20 universities analyzed in this study reveal a deeply troubling landscape for student expression, particularly in the context of pro-Palestine organizing. While institutions of higher learning have long positioned themselves as spaces for open dialogue and political debate, our findings suggest that many administrations responded to student encampments and demonstrations with disproportionate even unconstitutional measures—measures that often blurred the line between maintaining campus order and suppressing political dissent.
Across campuses, administrative actions were often marked by an immediate turn to securitized responses. Rather than facilitating dialogue, universities frequently opted to deploy campus safety officers or external law enforcement to remove encampments and disperse protests, most notably at Columbia University and UCLA with over 500 arrests on both campuses. These decisions, often accompanied by vague or retroactive justifications related to “safety” or “disruption,” created climates of fear and uncertainty. Students in multiple cases were detained, arrested, or disciplined without clear communication about the charges or processes involved, signaling a lack of procedural fairness. Alongside bigger protests, smaller instances of showing support for Palestine were also met with a quick administrative response. At the University of Southern California, a sit-in of 25 students for Palestine was dispersed by police officers who claimed that the group was not allowed to occupy the space in that manner. The University of Virginia had a similar response to just one student who decided to study on campus with two pro-Palestine signs next to him. In both situations, campus administration and law enforcement were quick in their attempts to remove the individuals from studying in the area whilst showing support for Palestine.
Key Statistics
- 1,500+ total arrests across all universities
- 200+ students suspended or expelled
- 70+ international students had visas revoked
- Only 1 university (4.5%) received an A grade
- 15 universities (68%) received D or F grades
Grade Distribution
68% of universities received a D or F grade for their handling of pro-Palestinian student protests.
University Assessment Breakdown
The university profiles represent a diverse sample of institutions from across the country. We based our selection on geographic diversity, ensuring that we had universities from the West Coast, East Coast, Midwest, and the South. We also ensured that our universities reflected private and public institutions, varying in size and national reputation as well.
We examined each university using a consistent grading framework designed to assess administrative and institutional reactions to student protests. The framework includes four key criteria; Administration Response, which considers the supportiveness of university leadership, Police or Security Force Involvement, which looks at the degree and nature of police force on campus; Negotiations or Dialogue with Students, assessing whether university officials met with protestors; and Impact on Academic Freedom and Free Speech, which analyzed how protest responses affected the rights of students and faculty members when it came to advocating for Palestine and organizing events freely. Each university was graded on these measures and given a letter grade in each category, leading to an overall grade reflecting general performance. Below in Figure 1 is a summarized breakdown of how the 20 universities scored using our grading system.
The goal of our selection and grading methods is to properly assess the general trends of administrative responses to pro-Palestinian speech and events, hold institutions responsible, and highlight exemplary practices. The goal is to ensure that universities are called out for their actions that compromise students' rights and the freedom of speech.
University Grades by Category
| University | Administration | Police | Negotiations | Academic Freedom | Overall | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Riverside | A | A | A | A | A | 4.00 |
| UC Berkeley | C | C | B | A | C | 2.75 |
| U Washington | C | A | B | D | C | 2.50 |
| Rutgers | C | C | B | C | C | 2.25 |
| Northwestern | C | C | B | D | C | 2.00 |
| Harvard | D | D | D | F | D | 1.50 |
| UNC | C | D | D | C | D | 1.50 |
| Minnesota | D | D | C | D | D | 1.25 |
| Virginia | D | D | C | D | D | 1.25 |
| UPenn | D | D | C | D | D | 1.25 |
| George Washington | D | D | D | D | D | 1.00 |
| Brown | D | D | C | D | D | 1.00 |
| Duke | D | F | D | D | D | 0.75 |
| Ohio State | D | D | F | D | D | 0.75 |
| U Chicago | F | D | C | F | F | 0.75 |
| USC | F | D | F | D | F | 0.50 |
| U Michigan | F | F | D | F | F | 0.25 |
| Columbia | F | F | D | F | F | 0.25 |
| Arizona State | F | F | F | F | F | 0.00 |
| UCLA | F | F | F | F | F | 0.00 |
| UT Austin | F | F | F | F | F | 0.00 |
| MIT | F | F | F | F | F | 0.00 |
Table shows all 20 universities sorted by overall GPA from highest to lowest.
Acknowledgement
The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) is the home of American Muslim Advocacy, a national policy and advocacy organization that works to advance justice, equity, and inclusion for American Muslims. Through strategic advocacy, government engagement, and coalition-building, MPAC ensures Muslim voices are represented in shaping public policy and national conversations.
When the student encampments began and free speech was at great risk amidst pro-Palestine protests and student repression, we knew we needed to shine a light on the situation unfolding across university campuses in the United States by highlighting through research and first hand testimony how free speech, a fundamental right, is under threat.
Collaborating with courageous students and professors across the country and engaging with experts from key organizations armed us with pointed and impactful insight necessary to document the threats to free speech and advocate for accountability in higher education.
