An increasing number of Michigan State University students say they have been “self-censoring” on campus out of fear of backlash from peers and faculty, according to newly released data. 

MSU, ranked in the bottom 25 for “Self-Censorship,” has fallen 194 places from last year, according to a report from The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that tracks free speech rights on U.S. college campuses. 

FIRE surveyed 318 students through permission-based email campaigns, web advertisements and university partnerships. The survey was fielded from Jan. 2 through June 3 of this year. The data found MSU ranked among the worst in the self-censorship category.

FIRE does not offer its own definition of self-censorship on its website, but said that students were provided with a definition before answering the survey. 

The initial question posed by the survey is broad: "How often do you self-censor during conversations with other students on campus?" Only 34% of MSU students answered "never" or "rarely." The following questions veered away from student interaction and focused on self-censorship around professors, student administration and classroom discussions.

All combined data from FIRE conclude that MSU’s overall grade for college free speech is a D, the lowest score for self-censorship and political tolerance. 

Classroom discussions saw the highest percentage of self-censorship among MSU students, with 72% of respondents answering that they self-censor once or twice a month or more. 

All surveys in the self-censorship category showed more students self-censoring than not across all campus settings.

The survey took place during the height of anti-ICE protests and the aftermath of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk's assassination. Over a thousand MSU students peacefully protested Operation Metro Surge at the Hannah Administration Building in January.