American College Student Freedom, Progress and Flourishing Survey

The American College Student Freedom, Progress and Flourishing Survey is an annual survey conducted by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth. The survey assesses student perceptions about viewpoint diversity and campus freedom; human progress and beliefs about the future; and student attitudes toward entrepreneurship, capitalism and socialism, and how college is influencing their views.

American colleges and universities play a vital role in shaping future political, cultural, and business leaders. However, there are growing concerns among the American public regarding the current state and direction of higher education and its influence on society. Recent surveys have begun to identify important challenges on college campuses related to free speech and tolerance of diverse viewpoints. To build on this understanding, we initiated an annual survey in 2021 to explore how students’ experiences in higher education influence their thoughts about the current and future state of the world and their place in it.

Survey results are divided into five sections. The first section examines student perceptions of viewpoint diversity in the classroom, as well as student attitudes toward regulating speech in the classroom and on campus. The second section examines student perceptions of how their college education is shaping their views on the world, the United States, their futures, and their ability to contribute to society. The third section examines students’ views on capitalism and socialism and the ways that these views have been shaped by the college experience. A fourth section, added this year, looks at student views related to the Israel-Hamas war and the appropriate ways to voice opinions. Finally, with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence as a tool that can be used to assist students with school work, we examine student views regarding the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in a university setting.

Click here to download the 2024 survey results.

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 that enhance economic growth and opportunity.

About the Author

John Bitzan, Ph.D.

Menard Family Director of the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth, North Dakota State University

Headshot of Menard Family Director, John Bitzan, Ph.D.

Media Commentary

Survey: Students are looking to report professors for wrongthink | The Eternally Radical Idea
Media's shrug at assassins, race grifters exposed and other commentary | New York Post
Report reveals ongoing tensions over student speech | Inside Higher Ed
'Teaching on eggshells': students report professors' offensive comments | Inside Higher Ed
Majority of college students favor reporting professors for ‘offensive’ opinions: poll | The Hill
The left is losing the battle for the minds of the American electorate | Legal Insurrection
Informers on campus | The Patriot Post
The new founders America needs | Common Sense with Bari Weiss
Survey: 85 percent of liberal students support reporting professors who say something offensive | The College Fix
Independence Day on track to be a conservative holiday, say experts | The Washington Times
Most college students unaware of social progress made in US and worldwide | The Hill
Niall Ferguson: I'm helping to start a new college because higher ed is broken | Bloomberg Opinion
We can't wait for universities to fix themselves. So we're starting a new one. | Common Sense with Bari Weiss
North Dakota State duo sees on-campus optimism running on empty | The Washington Times
Professors raise concerns about free speech and 'viewpoint diversity' on college campuses | The College Fix
Survey: Overwhelming majority of liberal students support policing speech on campus | Daily Caller
Survey: Students report open campus climate, want to punish those who offend | Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
Study: Majority of liberal college students prefer socialism, not proud to be from U.S. | Legal Insurrection
Survey: Majority of liberal college students are not proud to be American | The Daily Wire
Majority of liberal college students not proud to be American, favor socialism, NDSU survey finds | Campus Reform
Woke universities produce unhirable graduates | The Washington Times
The Geek in Pictures: Cancel edition | Powerline
85% of liberal students think professors should be reported for offensive comments | Reason
NDSU survey reveals the level of political indoctrination happening on college campuses | The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead

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 that enhance economic growth and opportunity.

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