Wright State ranks 64th out of 261 in a national poll about free speech on college campuses. This yearly ranking highlighted several concerns about free speech on campus.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released its 2026 national ranking of students for free speech. The fairly new non-profit organization was created through a partnership between the group RealClearEducation and the college survey group CollegePulse.
According to a statement from FIRE, the organization was founded to keep universities accountable for facilitating free speech regardless of political views.
“The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought. These rights include freedom of speech, freedom of association, due process, legal equality, religious liberty, and sanctity of conscience — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE also recognizes that colleges and universities play a vital role in preserving free thought within a free society. To this end, we place a special emphasis on defending these rights of students and faculty members on our nation's campuses,” the FIRE statement said.
WSU ended the poll with a D-rating, ranking 64th of the 261 schools nationwide.
FIRE uses several evaluation factors to determine a score for a school. Some of these include student opinion through CampusPulse surveys and analysis of past controversies and policies that the university has adopted. Additionally, FIRE ranks schools on institutional neutrality and whether or not they have adopted the Chicago Statement of Free Speech.
In FIRE’s report on Wright State, the organization highlighted WSU’s overall Administrative Support, ranking Wright State within the top 25. However, according to the data provided by FIRE, the biggest factor in WSU’s score is its perceived lack of neutrality from the institution and students reported fear of expressing their uncensored ideas.
43% of the students who were surveyed for the ranking expressed that they felt they needed to hide their real beliefs and views on campus due to them not being accepted.
One student surveyed said they feel as though students have to censor themselves around campus.
“Our campus has wonderful professors that are open to ideas and views without judgement, but our administrators are less so. During events where there are administrators, professors, and students I’ve noticed that the topics of discussion are more censored and reserved due to the administration being present,” an anonymous student said.
This sentiment was shown throughout the survey details and felt on campus when students were asked. Students like Izzy Anderson, an Interdisciplinary Studies major acknowledged that this was something that many students could feel.
“I will always speak my mind regardless of what happens, I really don’t care what anyone says. We can have different opinions and be friends,” Anderson said. “[However,] I can understand why someone may be afraid to speak their minds."
In general, the report highlights that WSU can benefit from more institutional neutrality and promotion of differing ideas.
Read Wright State’s full report here.
