On Sept. 9, 2025, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released its sixth annual college free speech rankings. The rankings are based on several factors, including the university’s written policies, any free-speech-related controversies that occurred on campus and survey data of college students. In the 2026 annual rankings, Brandeis placed 149th out of 257 schools ranked, receiving an overall score of 56.8 and an overall grade of an F.
Brandeis received a “yellow-light” speech code spotlight rating. The spotlight rating is given based on a university’s written policies related to free speech. All universities included in the rankings are given a green-light, yellow-light, red-light or warning rating. Warning ratings are only given to universities that explicitly state that they prioritize other values over freedom of speech. Red-light ratings are given to any policy that “both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.” These policies are unconstitutional at public universities, but allowed at private institutions like Brandeis. Brandeis did not receive any red-light ratings for any of its policies. Yellow-light policies “restrict a more limited amount of protected expression, or, by virtue of vague wording, can too easily be used to restrict protected expression … In other words, the extent of the threat to free speech would depend on how such a policy is applied.” Brandeis received a yellow-light rating for policies on campus demonstrations and protests, digital civility, use of campus facilities and harassment. If a university has any yellow-light policies (but no red-light policies), it receives a yellow light for its overall rating.
Brandeis’ ranking has improved significantly since last year. In the 2025 rankings released in September 2024, Brandeis was ranked 231st out of 251. In that ranking, Brandeis received a score of 54.0, slightly lower than this year, and a grade of F, the same as this year. According to FIRE’s website, “Brandeis could improve by revising its speech policies to earn a ‘green light’ Spotlight rating, formally adopting an official commitment to institutional neutrality, and better communicating a willingness to defend expressive rights on campus.”
As part of its ranking process, FIRE partnered with College Pulse to survey students at every college that was ranked. The survey of Brandeis received a total of 162 responses. Brandeis has a ratio of 12.72 liberal students for every conservative one. When asked how clear it is that the administration protects free speech, 13% of respondents said that it was “not at all clear,” 21% said that it was “not very clear,” 34% said that it was “somewhat clear,” 29% said that it was “very clear” and only 3% said that it was “extremely clear.” When asked “If a controversy over offensive speech were to occur on your campus, how likely is it that the administration would defend the speaker’s right to express their views?”, 9% said that it was “not at all likely,” 27% said that it was “not very likely,” 47% said that it was “somewhat likely,” 16% said that it was “very likely” and only 1% said that it was “extremely likely.” 76% of students said that they self-censor during conversations with other students at least once per month, while 61% of students responded that they self-censor in conversations with professors at least once a month. Respondents were given a list of issues and asked whether it would be “difficult to have an open and honest conversation about them on campus.” While large majorities of Brandeisians said that it would not be difficult for almost every issue, 84% said that it would be difficult to have a conversation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
At the end of the survey, students were given the chance to comment anonymously about their thoughts regarding the campus climate surrounding free speech. Some of these responses are included on the FIRE website. One student from the Class of 2025 said that “On the Palestine Israel conflict, a professor was pro-Palestine but if I explained that my opinions are different I was afraid the professor would purposely give me a bad grade.” A student in the Class of 2027 said that “My campus is very liberal, and I tend to be more liberal on topics so it’s not too difficult in discussions. However, a lot of the people are very far to the left and I don’t agree with all of their beliefs.”
