Although Hillsdale is the best college for free speech in the nation, according to the 2022-2023 College Free Speech Rankings, the report excluded Hillsdale from overall rankings, citing the college’s disciplinary measures against some speech.
“Last year, Hillsdale scored third-highest overall in the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s College Free Speech Rankings. Hillsdale’s free speech policy hasn’t changed in any way, though it was scored lower in this year’s ranking,” Hillsdale’s Executive Director of Public Relations Emily Davis said. “Though we don’t know the reason behind the drop, FIRE’s desire to defend free speech on college campuses across the country is admirable. Rest assured, Hillsdale is still a place where free speech flourishes.”
College Pulse, RealClearEducation, and FIRE released their second annual report on free speech on Sept. 21, based on student surveys from more than 150 colleges. Hillsdale ranked first for free speech in almost every category, but the groups labeled it as a “warning school” since the college is free to take disciplinary actions on students’ social media posts.
“[The warning label] is assigned to a private college or university when its policies clearly and consistently state that it prioritizes other values over a commitment to freedom of speech,” according to FIRE’s website.
Hillsdale scored first in the nation for comfort expressing ideas, lack of disruptive conduct, openness, administrative support, and tolerance of liberal and conservative speakers.
“You have to think through arguments, and there is truth,” Professor of Politics Mickey Craig said. “It becomes part of conversations about these things.”
The groups gave Hillsdale a score of 57.5, compared to a national average of 50, but excluded Hillsdale from the school rankings due to its warning label.
Because of the exclusion, the report ranked the University of Chicago first in the nation for free speech instead of Hillsdale. The university scored 60th for comfort expressing ideas, 91st for lack of disruptive conduct, 83rd for openness, and tied with Hillsdale for first for tolerance of liberal and conservative speakers.
The groups said the University of Chicago had an overall “good” speech climate, while they said Hillsdale had a “slightly above average” free speech climate.
FIRE Director Robert Shibley said the group takes issue with Hillsdale’s speech policies, even though students provided positive answers to the survey.
“Students in the aggregate provide very positive answers in the survey about the environment for free speech at Hillsdale,” Shibley told the Collegian last November. “If a Hillsdale student were to say something ‘disparaging’ about a political figure on social media – which is forbidden in Hillsdale’s rules – and be targeted for ‘cancellation,’ the college is free to take disciplinary action.”
Shibley said Hillsdale will remain a “warning” school for free speech unless the administration changes its policies.
Craig said he doesn’t think Hillsdale has any policies that penalize student speech, no matter the opinion.
“As far as I know, we don’t forbid anyone from saying they think gay marriage is good,” he said. “If they think that, they should defend it.”
Free dialogue and thought is an essential part of the academic experience, according to Craig.
“If you want to really know how to defend your position, you need to know the arguments of the people against it,” he said.
