As colleges across the U.S. begin a new academic year, recent pro-Palestinian protests have spotlighted student attitudes toward free speech and protest actions on campus. A new survey by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University, conducted in collaboration with College Pulse, sheds light on these issues along with student perspectives on capitalism, socialism, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). The 2024 American College Student Freedom Progress and Flourishing Survey provides a timely look at the evolving campus climate.
Key Findings:
- Free Speech and Viewpoint Diversity:
- Comfort Sharing Opinions: 70% of students feel at least somewhat comfortable sharing their opinions on controversial topics. However, 42% of these students feel comfortable because their views align with those of their peers and professors.
- Reporting Offensive Speech: 71% of students support reporting professors for offensive comments, and 56% support reporting fellow students.
- Protest Actions: While 89% believe in the right to peaceful protests, significant minorities support disruptive actions: 41% support occupying buildings, and 20% support shouting down speakers.
- Human Progress and National Pride:
- Optimism: Only 29% are optimistic about the world’s future, and 26% about the U.S. future. However, 57% are optimistic about their future.
- National Pride: 64% of U.S. citizen students report being proud to be American, with significant differences by political ideology and gender.
- Views on Capitalism and Socialism:
- Capitalism: 27% have a favorable view, which increases to 36% when defined as free market capitalism.
- Socialism: Only 25% have a positive view, with significant variations based on definitions and political ideologies.
- Influence of College: College has negatively influenced views on capitalism for 26% of students and positively influenced views on capitalism for 13 percent of students. Equal percentages of students (16%) report that college has positively and negatively influenced their views on socialism.
- Israel-Hamas Conflict:
- Protests: 13% have participated in demonstrations related to the conflict, with two-thirds of those students planning to continue protesting after college.
- Divisive Views: Students are divided on the appropriateness of various protest actions, with significant differences based on political ideology and gender.
- Ethical Use of AI:
- AI Use: Only 9% find AI unethical for university work. Most approve of using AI as a study tool (74%) or generating ideas (66%), but few support it for completing entire assignments or term papers.
- Future of AI: 55% believe AI will spur productivity and progress, while 33% worry about job losses.
The findings from this survey offer a crucial understanding of the student mindset that will shape discussions and policies in the upcoming academic year. The varying opinions on free speech, protest actions, and AI usage highlight the diverse and sometimes conflicting views that educators and policymakers need to navigate to foster a productive and inclusive academic environment.
“In this fourth year of our survey, the results reinforce concerns about a lack of tolerance for different viewpoints on campus, a lack of broad understanding of human progress, and confusion about capitalism and socialism,” said the author and Menard Family Director of the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth at North Dakota State University, John Bitzan. “Nonetheless, there have been some positive changes, with increased American pride, improved understanding of human progress and optimism about the future, and a better understanding of capitalism and socialism. The survey shows us that there is much work to be done on campus, but I hope universities can use the results to target areas for improvement.”
About the Survey: The 2024 American College Student Freedom Progress and Flourishing Survey is an annual initiative by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth in collaboration with College Pulse. It assesses student perceptions on key issues, including free speech, human progress, capitalism, and the ethical use of AI.
The survey was conducted between May 16, 2024, and May 24, 2024. The sample includes 2,159 undergraduate students from 466 colleges/universities across the U.S. Demographic details: 65% female, 28% male, 8% other/non-identified. Racial composition: 46% white, 21% Asian, 15% Hispanic/Latino, 7% black, 6% two or more races, 2% Middle Eastern, and small percentages of other groups. Political ideology: 51% liberal, 26% conservative, 23% independent/apolitical. Results are reported overall, by political ideology, and gender.
Contact Information: For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Marc Morris, Media Relations Specialist, Challey Institute at North Dakota State University, marc.morris@ndsu.edu