FIX EXCLUSIVES
71 percent of students would report a professor for saying something offensive, according to results
Most college students value free speech — but only up to a certain point, according to the results of a recently released survey from the Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University.
Nearly three-quarters of students surveyed reported that they believe free speech matters more than comfort, yet 71 percent would report a professor for saying something offensive, and 57 percent would report a fellow student for the same reason, the results found.
The annual poll tracks students’ views on free speech, capitalism, national progress, protests, and social media. More than 2,000 students from 472 colleges and universities nationwide were questioned for the 2025 results, released in September.
Professor John Bitzan, author of the survey, told The College Fix that the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk is an example of the growing intolerance and violence toward unpopular views on college campuses.
“I’m deeply troubled by the fact that a husband and father has lost his life simply because someone disagreed with his views. Tragically, there is a growing trend, especially visible on college campuses, in which silencing people through violence or coercion is increasingly accepted,” he told The Fix via email.
According to another large-scale survey of college students also released in September, this one by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, one in three students believe some level of violence is acceptable to stop a campus speech.
“Students report a growing intolerance toward speech they find disagreeable,” Bitzan said, “and many believe institutions should protect individuals from certain viewpoints rather than encourage engagement with them.”
The NDSU survey also found that 71 percent of students are comfortable voicing opinions and discussing controversial topics in the classroom. However, “nearly half say the reason they feel comfortable sharing their opinion is that they believe their views align with most other students and professors.”
Out of those students who do not feel comfortable sharing their views, “51 percent say it is because they believe their opinion wouldn’t be acceptable to other students, and 25 percent say they are worried about their reputation.”
Despite the high percentage of students who say that free speech is important, the large number of students willing to report a professor or student for saying something controversial suggests “a campus environment that is not open to free speech and diverse points of view,” according to a summary of the survey results.
Bitzan said there are several steps that can be taken to resolve the issue. Colleges and universities, for example, “can teach students about the importance of free speech in fostering critical thinking and advancing knowledge,” he said.
“…They can also give students the tools and practice needed to engage in meaningful conversations with those they disagree with.”
Bitzan added academia must recommit “to educating individuals on the importance of hearing different points of view, countering undesirable or offensive speech with more speech, not suppression, and making absolutely clear that violence, or threat thereof, is never an acceptable response.”
As an example of such improvement, Bitzan mentioned the pluralist lab at North Dakota State University, which teaches students “how to engage in reflective listening and engage in conversations with curiosity, authenticity, and respect.”
Additional findings from the survey include that only 27 percent of students have a favorable view of capitalism, “but that increases when students define it as a free market system.”
“Views on socialism also depend heavily on the definition, with redistribution seen more favorably than government control or central planning,” a news release on the poll states.
MORE: 1 in 3 students say some level of violence acceptable to stop campus speech: survey
