As tensions surrounding diversity, inclusion, and freedom of expression remain high on college and university campuses, a new report to be presented at ACE2018,
ACE’s 100th Annual meeting, reveals that U.S. college students show
strong support for the First Amendment, but favor some restrictions on
free speech rights to foster a diverse environment.
The survey’s findings will be presented
during the closing plenary session titled, “Free Speech on Campus: What
Students Think and How We Respond.”
The Gallup survey was released today by the
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and also sponsored by ACE, the
Charles Koch Foundation, and the Stanton Foundation. It polled 3,014
U.S. college students and builds on a 2016 study by Gallup, Knight
Foundation, and the Newseum Institute.
The report reveals that while students still
overwhelmingly support an open learning environment on campus that
allows all types of speech (70 percent) versus one that puts limits on
offensive speech (29 percent), the percentage of those who support
allowing all types of speech has dropped since 2016, from 78 percent.
The majority of college students say
protecting free speech rights (56 percent) and promoting a diverse and
inclusive society (52 percent) are both extremely important to
democracy. But when asked which was more important, students prioritized
by a narrow margin diversity and inclusion over free speech, 53 percent
to 46 percent.
Students are now far more concerned about the
security of First Amendment rights. Sixty-four percent of college
students say freedom of speech is secure, down from 73 percent in 2016;
60 percent, down from 81 percent, say freedom of the press is secure.
The decline is largely driven by political affiliation, with students
who identify as Democrats showing drastic declines, independents showing
sizeable declines, and Republican perceptions about First Amendment
rights security largely unchanged.
“Like the 2016 student survey presented by
Gallup and the Knight Foundation, the 2018 findings are a fascinating
window into student beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that will spark
productive discussions among higher education leaders,” said ACE
President Ted Mitchell. “To see how views have shifted in just the last
two years—and gain these new insights into students’ overall
perspectives on balancing diversity, inclusion, and expression, shows
the continuing challenge of ensuring a rigorous exchange of ideas in an
environment that recognizes and respects diverse views on campuses.”
In addition to the security of free speech
rights and a focus on diversity and inclusion, the new survey examines
the evolution of student attitudes about the First Amendment in light of
current debates, exploring issues such as whether college students ever
consider violence or shouting down speakers acceptable, student trust
in the press, and social media’s role in advancing or limiting free
speech on campus.
For more detailed findings, please click here to read the report.