Amid political unrest, growing concerns about censorship from campus leadership have weakened some students’ faith in their right to free speech on campus.

The 2025 Climate Survey for Diversity and Inclusion, conducted by the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Council, collected data from 1,600 respondents, including 1,100 students and 500 faculty members. The council released its findings from the past spring semester on Sept. 9.

To the statement, “The University encourages students to share their ideas openly,” 48.18% of respondents strongly agreed, while 14.11% were either neutral or strongly disagreed.

Leo LeBlanc, a diversity peer educator (DPE) with the Myatt Center and executive assistant for PRIDE, said students may fear disciplinary action from administrators or negative pressure from peers.

LeBlanc recalled a recent campus protest in favor of Palestine, in which campus police stood by the Henry C. Lee building. LeBlanc said students thought the police may have been present for potential riot control.

“The administration takes it as a performative joke,” said LeBlanc.

Dave Cranshaw, director of communications and public relations, said on behalf of the university police department that campus police prioritize the safety of everyone on campus.

“We are committed to working with all students to ensure they have the opportunity to share their opinions and viewpoints while also following all applicable University policies,” Cranshaw said in a statement.

University President Jens Frederiksen said the university has a free speech policy where the policies aim to protect students who want to be heard and students who want to pursue their education without disruption.

“Our focus is on fostering intellectual discourse and dialogue that critically examine the issues most impacting the communities we are part of,” said Frederiksen. “All students are expected to uphold the values and expectations outlined in our Charger Compact, which provides a framework for how we interact with each other and what we stand for as a community.”

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President Deandra Merricks acknowledged the presence of policies like these in a statement on behalf of the chapter, but argued that welcoming environments are not made of policies alone.

“While the university has policies and practices in place, there are still barriers that make students feel like their voices are not truly being heard,” said Merricks. “Even student leaders often feel that they cannot freely exercise their right to speak without facing repercussions afterward, which creates an atmosphere of hesitation rather than openness.”

LeBlanc raised concerns about students with more amplified voices not using them responsibly, and said there weren’t many confident speakers in the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA).

“A lot of people take it for granted,” LeBlanc said as they told an anecdote in which they caught a student watching cartoons during a meeting.

USGA president Jessica Harbaugh was adamant about the organization’s mission of student advocacy.

“As an executive board, our responsibility is to serve the undergraduate student body and student organizations,” Harbaugh said. “One of the most important pieces of fulfilling that responsibility is ensuring we are doing everything in our power to make every voice feel heard and that all students feel that their opinion matters.”

Kaitlyn Carpenter, marine biology junior and DPE, said she felt comfortable voicing her opinions. Despite this, she said that on-campus communication isn’t always perfect.

“There are some things that I feel like could be talked about more, just campus-wide,” Carpenter said. “We’re in a heated pot right now. I feel like a lot of people might not be as aware how bad it is.”

Merricks agreed there is room for improvement on campus and acknowledged the importance of taking steps toward improvement.

“There are many changes that could be made to strengthen student expression and ensure students feel supported, but the challenge remains: How do we communicate those needs without feeling dismissed or unheard?” said Merricks. “Until that gap is addressed, students will continue to feel that their freedom to fully express themselves is limited.”