University of Chicago tops FIRE free-speech ranking, NYU comes in last

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released its annual College Free Speech Rankings, surveying nearly 63,000 students and analyzing policies at 261 U.S. colleges. The University of Chicago ranked first with a B-minus, while New York University came in last. No university received an "A," and 121 schools earned an "F." The Israeli-Palestinian conflict was identified by half of students as the most difficult topic to discuss openly on campus, a trend that has persisted for three years and intensified after October 7. Sean Stevens, the report's author, noted that the "Israeli-Palestinian conflict" has been the most difficult subject for "three years running." The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025 also significantly impacted free speech perceptions, with 44% of students finding him difficult to discuss.