K-State ranks higher than KU in new freedom of speech ranking for public universities

College Pulse and The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) have come out with a new report, ranking more than 250 public colleges across the U.S. based on how well the schools protect the right to freedom of speech. According to FIRE the “‘2024 College Free Speech Rankings’ is a comprehensive comparison of the student experience of free speech on their campuses.” The rankings are based on over 55,000 student voices and is designed to help students and parents pick the best colleges. 

In the report, they found that “more than half of students expressed worry about damaging their reputation because of someone misunderstanding what they said.” They also found that “more than 1 in 5 students reported that their college administration’s stance on free speech on campus is not clear.”

According to FIRE, they look at seven main components when ranking the schools and also rank the institutions by color (green, yellow, and red) based on the extent free speech is restricted by the public universities through their written policies.

Two universities from Kansas were listed in this ranking: Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS (K-State), and the University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS (KU).

K-State ranked 18 with a score of 63.35 overall and was one of only 19 universities to have their speech climate considered “above average.” For context, Michigan Technology University was the top ranking institution with an overall score of 78.01 and was one of only four schools to have their speech climate considered “good.” K-State’s written policies were also given the “green light.” The survey looked at responses from 294 students from K-State, finding the majority of student viewpoints were conservative with a 1.35:1 ratio. Interestingly, highlighted comments seemed to suggest conservative students were more likely to be discriminated against by the professors.

“I feel like most conservative ideas are frowned upon and won’t be given the time of day,” one survey respondent from K-State, class of 2023 wrote. “I once wrote a paper for a professor expressing an opposing viewpoint over a town hall that didn’t hold up under just a bit of scrutiny. I paid for that with my grade on the paper, and the professor (it was an online class) wouldn’t respond to me to set up a meeting to discuss the ideas or the paper I wrote. I had asked her to educate me on my ‘wrong’ ideas and she wouldn’t give me the time of day to discuss anything. I just got told that I didn’t get it.”

“There was a time when a professor was talking about a topic in a lecture and I didn’t agree with the stance that he was taking on it,” another survey respondent from K-State, class of 2025 wrote. “It felt though that no one could disagree or question the ideology at all. Then we had to do an assignment that explained why we agreed with the topic.”

KU ranked 83rd with an overall score of 51.44. Their speech climate was considered “average,” and their speech code was given a “yellow light.” A total of 252 students from KU responded to the survey, being more liberal with 2.52 liberal students responding for every conservative student. 

“During a class discussion about racial issues, I had a different opinion on how things should be addressed but it was an intense conversation that did not feel welcoming to different opinion,” one survey respondent from KU, class of 2023 wrote.

“I get misgendered by my professors and I don’t feel like I have the authority to correct them,” another survey respondent from KU, class of 2024 wrote.

To read the full 85-page report, click here.