WORCESTER, MA — Two Worcester universities have received failing grades in a national survey on free speech in higher education, according to the 2026 College Free Speech Rankings released Monday by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
The report — which has been published annually since 2020 — evaluated 257 colleges and universities nationwide, including 16 in Massachusetts. Of those, 166 schools received failing grades, among them Clark University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).
WPI ranked 121st out of 257, while Clark fell lower at 194th.
Survey data highlighted concerns at both campuses:
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WPI: 28% of students reported self-censoring on campus at least once or twice a month. Meanwhile, 64% said it is acceptable — at least in rare cases — to “shout down” a speaker to prevent them from delivering remarks.
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Clark: 55% of students said they self-censor with the same frequency, and 77% said shouting down a speaker is acceptable in at least some circumstances.
FIRE’s annual rankings are based on survey responses from tens of thousands of students across the country, evaluating issues such as tolerance for controversial speakers, openness to debate, and willingness to express differing viewpoints.
Both Worcester institutions join the majority of colleges nationwide that received poor grades, underscoring ongoing national debates about the state of free speech on U.S. campuses.
