AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin ranked among the worst in the country for its free speech policymaking and environment, according to an analysis from survey research company College Pulse and the nonprofit Foundation for Individual Rights and
Expression (FIRE).
The two organizations surveyed nearly 59,000 student respondents from 257 colleges and universities nationally between January and June of this year. Of those surveyed, 47% identified as liberal, 21% as conservative and 16% as moderate, with the remaining percentage points reflecting smaller percentages of self-identified democratic socialists, libertarians, undecided or some other affiliation.
Its findings ranked UT No. 244, with an overall score of 23.39 out of 100 and a “poor” speech climate designation.
The survey noted campus free expression incidents have grown substantially since the onset of the Israel-Hamas military attacks in October 2023. Last year, FIRE and College Pulse found a record 156 de-platforming attempts on campuses, with 54 involving issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; conversely, so far this year the survey found there have been 110 de-platforming attempts and 75 of them related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A New York Times analysis from July found UT’s campus had some of the highest pro-Palestinian arrest numbers from protests back in April, with 136 reported at the Austin campus among more than 3,100 arrests made nationally.
UT officials have continuously denounced any free speech violations on campus, telling KXAN in August the university’s response to April protesters “complied with our policies and the law.”
“UT Austin will continue to support the Constitutional rights to free speech of all individuals on our campus and will also enforce our rules, while providing due process and holding students, faculty, staff and visitors accountable,” the spokesperson said.
Other top issues noted in the latest survey causing tension on campuses included abortions, transgender rights, racial inequality and gun control.
UT wasn’t the only Texas university ranked as part of the survey. Others included:
- University of Texas at El Paso: Ranked No. 47 with an overall score of 54.54 out of 100
- Texas Tech University: Ranked No. 68 with an overall score of 51.94 out of 100
- Texas State University: Ranked No. 76 with an overall score of 51.14
- Texas A&M University: Ranked No. 130 with an overall score of 47.24 out of 100
- Southern Methodist University: Ranked No. 136 with an overall score of 46.73 out of 100
- University of Texas at Arlington: Ranked No. 143 with an overall score of 45.35
- University of Texas at Dallas: Ranked No. 166 with an overall score of 43.06
- University of North Texas: Ranked No. 205 with an overall score of 38.60
- University of Houston: Ranked No. 230 with an overall score of 32.36
The survey also flagged Baylor University as a “warning” college for its speech climate, with the Waco university receiving an overall score of 24.96 out of 100.
The complete survey is available online.