Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
55.8 Treanding Down
/ 100
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
210 Treanding Down
/ 261
Overall grade The Grade is a letter based on the college's rounded Overall Score. Scores fall into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Speech Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
2
Overview
Utah Valley University ranks 210 out of 261 schools in the 2027 College Free Speech Rankings with a score of 56 and an F speech climate grade. That placement is painfully understandable after Charlie Kirk’s assassination on UVU’s campus, which, in addition to counting as a free speech controversy in the ranking methodology, led many students in FIRE’s survey to volunteer their increased fear about speaking out on campus. While most UVU students reject violence as a reaction to speech — UVU ranks in the top 25 for “Disruptive Conduct,” suggesting students are less accepting of shoutdowns, blockades, or violence to prevent speech than students at most institutions — that alone does not produce a healthy speech climate. All told, UVU dropped 139 places from the previous year.UVU students’ survey responses are reflected in the university’s bottom-25 ranking for “Openness,” meaning students see many contentious topics as difficult to discuss, and its 130-place fall in “Comfort Expressing Ideas,” reflecting a steep (and understandable) rise in discomfort sharing views.
The ripple effects of Kirk’s murder on campus are undeniable. FIRE conducted a separate post-assassination survey of UVU students, which found that students were less comfortable expressing controversial political views in class, in common campus spaces, and on social media after what happened to Kirk. Student responses in this year’s rankings survey reflect the same climate of fear, with some students saying they worried their political views, or even their perceived political leanings, could make them targets of blame or hostility. UVU then compounded those concerns by rescinding author and podcaster Sharon McMahon’s commencement invitation after backlash over her comments following Kirk’s death. In a year already defined by fear, that decision sent the wrong message about how the university responds to controversy.
UVU holds a “yellow light” Spotlight rating. It should revise student policies to earn a “green light” Spotlight rating and adopt the pro-free speech Chicago Statement and institutional neutrality. Rather than engaging in deplatforming as it did with McMahon, UVU should respond clearly and forcefully to defend free speech whenever censorship occurs or is demanded.
Highlights
54% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
59% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
16% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
1.08:1
There are roughly 1.08 liberal students for every one conservative student.
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Score over time
Student Voices
I most often self-censor when talking with conservative friends, as I have found that discussion with them is rarely productive and tends to make me feel sad, unheard, or even attacked. The days after the 2024 election were such a time, because I really just didn't want to have to deal with the complaints or the gloating.
Felt shamed by sharing maybe the other side of a conversation
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Score Calculator
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Every school's score is shaped by campus policies. Adjust the factors below to see how different policies affect the ranking for Utah Valley University.
Score Deep Dive
Inside the Score
Explore the key factors shaping this score. This section provides a detailed look at the data, policies, and student experiences that influence free speech on campus.
Overall Score The Overall Score is made up of 12 parts. Six measure how students feel about free speech on campus. Three look at school speech policies. The last three look at how people on campus respond during speech controversies. A higher score reflects a better free speech climate.
55.8 Treanding Down
/ 100
This score out of 100 reflects how open and supportive a campus is for free speech, based on student surveys, campus policies, and recent speech-related controversies.
Overall Rank The Overall Rank shows where a school stands among the 261 institutions evaluated, based on its Overall Score.
210 Treanding Down
/ 261
A comparison of 261 U.S. colleges and universities on free speech, based on overall scores from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Overall grade The Grade is a letter based on the college's rounded Overall Score. Scores fall into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
A school’s speech climate, shown as a letter grade (A–F), based on its overall score from student surveys, campus policies, and speech-related controversies.
Speech Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
2
Reflect recent incidents where a speaker, professor, student, or student group faced efforts to punish, disinvite, or silence them for expressing a controversial view.
Chicago Statement for Free Speech
Not Adopted
Institutional Neutrality
Not Adopted
Spotlight Rating
Yellow
Comfort Expressing Ideas Comfort Expressing Ideas measures how comfortable students feel sharing their views on controversial topics in different campus settings. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
D
Disruptive Conduct Disruptive Conduct measures how acceptable students think it is to disrupt a campus speaker. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
B
Openness Openness measures how many controversial topics students feel they can openly discuss on campus. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
D
Self-Censorship Self-Censorship measures how often students hold back their views on campus. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93–100) to F (below 60).
D-
Administrative Support Administrative Support measures how clearly students think their school supports free speech and how likely the administration is to defend a speaker's rights during a controversy. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
D
Political Tolerance Political Tolerance measures how willing students are to allow controversial speakers — on both the left and right — to speak on campus, even if they disagree with their views. The grade falls into standard grade ranges from A (93-100) to F (below 60).
F
Speech Controversies
Speech Controversies: When Free Expression Is Challenged
Explore notable incidents where free speech was tested on campus. From speaker deplatformings to administrative actions, these events highlight the challenges — and consequences — of restricting expression.
Total Controversies Controversies are campus incidents where a student, professor, or speaker faces backlash or pressure for speech that's protected by the First Amendment or academic freedom.
2
Scholars Under Fire Scholar Controversies are campus incidents where a professor or academic staff member faces backlash or punishment for speech protected by academic freedom or the First Amendment.
0
Students Under Fire Student Controversies are campus incidents where a student or student group faces punishment or pressure from the school for speech that's protected by the First Amendment.
0
Deplatformings Deplatformings are the number of incidents where a scheduled event or speaker is canceled or prevented from taking place.
2
Honor Roll Statements Honor Roll Statements are the number of public messages from a college or university defending free speech during a campus controversy. Schools that make these statements can earn bonus points on their Overall Score for standing up for free expression when it counts.
0
Attempted Disruptions Attempted Disruptions are the number of incidents where people on campus try to stop a scheduled event or speaker.
0
New in 2026 The number of controversies that have occurred since the previous launch of the College Free Speech Rankings.
1
Deplatformings
| Year | School | Target | Controversy Explanation | Score Impact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Utah Valley University | Sharon McMahon | After the university announced McMahon, an author, educator, and podcaster, as its commencement speaker, backlash came from conservative student groups at the university because of McMahon’s social media posts after Charlie Kirk’s killing on the university's campus. Following the assassination, McMahon made a series of social media posts criticizing Kirk’s rhetoric and said that his assassination “does not erase the harm many experienced from his words.” Turning Point USA and the College Republicans opposed McMahon's invitation, calling it "tone-deaf" and "an insult." McMahon's invitation to speak at commencement was rescinded following the backlash because of "increased safety concerns." | -3.0 | Read More |
| 2025 | Utah Valley University | Charlie Kirk | Kirk, a conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA, was scheduled to speak at the university as part of his “Prove Me Wrong” campus tour. Prior to the event, students launched a Change.org petition urging the university to cancel the speech, claiming that Kirk’s views on immigration, gender, and other issues were incompatible with the school’s values of diversity and inclusion. The university did not cancel the event, and Kirk proceeded with his appearance. Tragically, while on campus, Kirk was assassinated in a shooting that occurred during the event. | -2.0 | Read More |
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More Student Voices
I had a professor openly shoot down an essay idea in front of the whole class from me because it was a different political view than their own.
Survey Results
Survey Results: Student Perspectives
See how students at Utah Valley University perceive free speech on their campus. This section breaks down survey responses to key questions, providing insights into overall trends as well as demographic differences in how students experience free expression.
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The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression defends and sustains the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.
