Cornell Drops in FIRE’s 2026 Campus Free Speech Rankings

On September 9, 2025, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released its annual survey of the free speech climate on the nation’s college campuses. Cornell dropped from 215th to 227th place.

Each year, FIRE’s rankings are based on a composite score of 12 components. Six components assess student perceptions of different aspects of the speech climate on their campus. Three components assess campus speech policies. And three assess behavior by administrators, faculty, and students during a speech controversy on campus. Higher scores indicate a better campus climate for free speech and expression.

Cornell’s score and ranking was penalized for three free speech episodes: 1) a student facing suspension for a “Zionists must die” internet posting, 2) the cancellation of Kehlani as the Slope Day headliner, and 3) the audience disrupting the “Pathways to Peace” panel discussion.

Here is the downward trend in Cornell’s rankings:

Nationwide, FIRE surveys over 68,000 undergraduates each year, of which 304 were Cornellians this year. Based upon the responses from Cornell, FIRE determines how comfortable students are expressing their own views, how acceptable it is to engage in disruptive conduct, and whether students perceive the administration as supporting free speech rights. The last three rows of the chart above shows where Cornell stands in each category compared with the other 257 ranked schools. Cornell did improve 12 places in the “Comfort” rankings and 6 places in the “Administrative Support” rankings.

Here are the Ivy League rankings:

RELATED: Cornell Drops in 2025 FIRE Free Speech Rankings

Cornell’s Free Expression theme year in 2023-24 did not have a definitive impact in Cornell’s standings.

The FIRE statement commented, “To its credit, though, Cornell worked with FIRE to revise its ‘Expressive Activity Policy’ to exclude broad and vague restrictions on speech. Cornell could continue to improve by revising speech codes to earn a ‘green light’ Spotlight rating, as well as adopting the Chicago Statement and an official commitment to institutional neutrality.”

Several ongoing projects may affect Cornell’s future rankings. First, Cornell is about to release its report on institutional voice. Cornell’s current failure to adopt the Kalven Report or other similar policy on institutional neutrality. This report can increase the University’s rankings if it adopts such a policy. Second, Cornell has announced a review of its conduct system which could potentially provide more due process in handling cases. Finally, the Faculty Senate is considering resolutions on how Cornell has handled cases from last year’s demonstrations.

Survey Data

Some of the more notable items in the new survey results were:

• 45% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.
• 80% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
• 36% of students say using violence to stop someone from speaking on campus is acceptable, at least in rare cases.
• Only 22% of students said it was clear or very clear that Cornell’s administrators protect free speech on campus.

According to the survey sample, students who self-identify as liberal outnumbered conservatives by 5.53 to one.