Students Are Speaking Up! Perspectives on Campus Expression Over Time
Universities are traditionally viewed as a place where students can learn and practice expression of diverse ideas and perspectives. However, it is also up for debate whether universities should avoid certain topics or let this be a place for unrestricted speech. To better understand student expression at the University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR), a survey was conducted to explore campus expression and whether students agreed with statements that implied restricting speech. The survey has been given out to students from 2020-2025 and a longitudinal analysis was done. This analysis focused on seven statements that indicated suppressing speaking from an individual or systemic level. The results showed that over the years there has been a decrease in the percentage of students who agree with the statements that indicate suppressing expression. Some statements indicating supporting expression have stayed relatively constant with a high percentage of student agreement. This suggests that UMR is becoming a space where students support expression more each year. When looking at qualitative interviews, students state that UMR is a place where they feel comfortable to express their ideas. Future research will be focused on understanding the characteristics of the environment that makes students more comfortable to express themselves on campus.