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The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression recently released its College Free Speech Rankings for the 2026-27 school year. Syracuse University was ranked 65th of 261 schools, yet still received a failing “D” grade.

The full report describes declining support for SU students’ free speech on campus, especially among conservative students. Although SU received a “D,” it’s the highest score the university has ever received. Of the 261 schools ranked, 166 failed with a score below 60. SU actually rose 11 spots from its 76th-place ranking in FIRE’s 2025-2026 report.

The question shouldn’t be why SU is ranked where it is, but rather what made it climb those 11 spots.

Part of that answer traces back to 2024, when SU adopted a formal policy of institutional neutrality. It joined a wave of schools, including Harvard University and Stanford University, that were making the same move.

When universities declare neutrality, it’s viewed as an effort to duck difficult political questions, especially during such a period of division. Dig a little bit deeper, though, and you’ll find that........

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