Reforming College Policies

Defending Your Rights

FIRE’s college policy reform team works to proactively and systematically challenge campus policies that violate college students’ and faculty members’ free speech rights. 

FIRE maintains a database that catalogs the speech codes of over 475 colleges and universities nationwide. That data fuels FIRE’s policy awareness and college reform advocacy efforts, giving us the ability to directly work with administrators to offer analysis and advice, coordinate targeted publicity efforts like FIRE’s Speech Code of the Month series; and publish our annual Spotlight on Speech Codes report reviewing the state of free speech at America’s colleges and universities. 

College professor and students on campus in the library

How Does Your School Compare?

FIRE’s Spotlight Database rates policies that regulate student expression at over 475 colleges and universities. Learn more about speech policies on your campus.

Find a School

Spotlight on Speech Codes 2021

Model Speech Policies

FIRE catalogs campus speech codes — policies that impermissibly regulate or restrict student expression — at hundreds of American colleges and universities. Use these model policies to improve speech codes on your campus.

View Model Speech Policies

Adopt the Chicago Statement at Your School

The “Chicago Statement” is a model free speech policy statement that many universities have adopted, affirming their commitment to free expression.

How to Adopt the Chicago Statement

2024 College Free Speech Rankings

FIRE's 2024 College Free Speech Rankings are based on the voices of more than 55,000 students at 248 colleges and universities, and are designed to help parents and prospective students choose the right school.

See the Rankings

Read the Report

Rank School Overall Speech Code
1 Michigan Technological University Public 78/100 Green
2 Auburn University Public 72/100 Green
3 University of New Hampshire Public 72/100 Green
4 Oregon State University Public 71/100 Green
5 Florida State University Public 69/100 Green
6 University of Virginia Public 68/100 Green
7 Texas A&M University - College Station Public 67/100 Green
8 George Mason University Public 67/100 Green
9 University of North Carolina - Greensboro Public 67/100 Green
10 University of Colorado Boulder Public 66/100 Green

Students, faculty, and administrators can change policy

FIRE regularly works with students, faculty, and administrators to help implement model speech policies.

Spotlight on Due Process

FIRE analyzes disciplinary procedures at 53 top-ranked institutions and rates them based on 10 fundamental elements of due process.

View FIRE’s due process reports

FIRE Spotlight on Due Process 2021
Students sitting together on grass

Free Speech on Campus

Lesson

Before you can become a free speech advocate at your school, it is essential that you know exactly what rights the First Amendment protects, how those rights apply to university students, the ways you can take advantage of those rights, and how to promote college reform efforts on campus.

Learn about how to ignite your free speech rights today!

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