Fargo, N.D., June 28 – A new national survey by the Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University clarifies how current college students view divisive issues including campus speech and censorship, U.S. and global progress, and the specific meanings of socialism and capitalism.

The annual American College Student Freedom, Progress and Flourishing Survey, first released in 2021, builds on our understanding of today’s higher education climate and how students’ experiences influence their thoughts about the world and their place in it. The 2022 report can be found here.

John Bitzan, Menard Family Director at the Challey Institute and co-author of the report, says:

“American colleges and universities play a vital role in educating future political, cultural and business leaders. The goal of our survey is to understand how well we are equipping our future leaders with the knowledge, openness, optimism and agency to aid in continuing society’s progress.” 

The findings tell a complex story. Many students are unaware of global progress on measures such as life expectancy, poverty and literacy over the past 50 years. Moreover, few express optimism about the future of the world and the United States, and only half of students are optimistic about their own future.

Existential psychologist and co-author Clay Routledge had this to say:

“The findings suggest many students are not being equipped with what we might call a progress-mindset. I have collected a lot of data showing young Americans are not optimistic about the future, but it still surprises me that so many young people, particularly students with access to a college education, do not feel hopeful and inspired.” 

In collaboration with College Pulse, the Challey Institute conducted the nationally representative survey of 2,000 undergraduate students at 130 four-year colleges and universities in all 50 U.S. states.

Survey results are divided into three sections. The first section examines student perceptions of viewpoint diversity and freedom of speech on campus. The second section examines students’ understanding of human progress and their views of the world, the United States and the future. The third section examines student beliefs about capitalism and socialism and the way college is shaping their views.

The report breaks down the results based on students’ self-identified political ideologies: liberal/liberal-leaning, conservative/conservative-leaning and independent/apolitical. Key findings include:

A majority of college students say professors and students should be reported to the university for speech they deem offensive. However, most students do not favor censoring speakers, readings or classroom discussions.

• 85 percent of liberal students, 56 percent of conservative students and 70 percent of independent students say a professor should be reported for speech they deem offensive.
• 78 percent of liberal students, 43 percent of conservative students and 62 percent of independent students say a student should be reported for speech they deem offensive.

Most college students are unaware of recent progress in the U.S. and globally.

• Looking at issues such as extreme poverty, life expectancy, hunger and literacy, fewer than half of students believe the world has gotten better over the past 50 years, despite empirical evidence that all these measures have dramatically improved. 
• Similarly, fewer than half of students believe life in the United States has gotten better over the past 50 years, considering life expectancy, income per person and level of education; clear evidence shows these measures have all improved.

Most college students are not optimistic about the future.

• About one quarter of students are optimistic about the future of the world and the United States, with slightly more students being optimistic about their own future.

National pride differs based on political views.

• 76 percent of conservative students say they are proud to be American, compared to 40 percent of liberal students and 58 percent of independents.

Students disagree about how to define capitalism and socialism, and their attitudes vary based on the definition.

• Conservative and independent students are more likely to define capitalism as a system of free markets, while liberal students are more likely to define capitalism as a system of corporate favors.
• Liberal students are more likely to define socialism as a system of redistribution and active government, while conservative students are more likely to define socialism as a system of central planning and the collective ownership of property. Independent student views are mixed.

The Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth aims to advance understanding in the areas of innovation, trade, institutions and human potential to identify policies and solutions for the betterment of society. Learn more at ndsu.edu/challeyinstitute

About the Authors: Menard Family Director, Dr. John Bitzan directs the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University; Challey Institute Scholar, Dr. Clay Routledge is the Arden and Donna Hetland Distinguished Professor of Business at North Dakota State University.

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of North Dakota State University.