Higher-ed censorship is accelerating on U.S. campuses, according to a new PEN America report published January 15, 2026.
What PEN America says is happening
PEN America argues that higher-ed censorship now forms a “web of control” spanning state laws and federal pressure. The report’s key finding is stark. More than half of U.S. college and university students study in a state with at least one law or policy restricting what can be taught or how campuses operate. ([PEN America][1])
The group frames 2025 as a turning point for higher-ed censorship. It describes a “year of catastrophe” in which political interventions spread across teaching, research, and student life. ([PEN America][1])
PEN America separates higher-ed censorship into two buckets.
Direct restrictions on teaching
The report describes “educational gag orders” that restrict instruction on topics like race, gender, LGBTQ+ identities, and U.S. history. ([PEN America][1])
In its press release summary, PEN America says 2025 was a banner year for these measures. It reports 14 gag-order bills enacted into law, including seven targeting higher education, plus additional state policies. ([PEN America][2])
Indirect control over how campuses function
PEN America says indirect higher-ed censorship is expanding even faster. These measures target governance and institutional rules that underpin academic freedom. The report tracks bills spanning curricular control, tenure restrictions, “institutional neutrality” mandates, accreditation interventions, DEI bans, and governance changes. ([PEN America][1])
PEN America reports that states introduced far more indirect censorship bills than gag orders in 2025. It cites 78 indirect measures versus 37 educational gag order bills. ([PEN America][1])
The scale in 2025, by the numbers
PEN America calls 2025 a record-setting year for higher-ed censorship at the state level. In its press release, the organization says lawmakers introduced 93 bills censoring higher education across 32 states. It says 21 became law in 15 states, plus five additional state policies. ([PEN America][2])
The report also highlights passage rates for indirect higher-ed censorship. It states 20 of 78 indirect bills became law, a 26% rate. ([PEN America][1])
PEN America adds a broader warning. Once protections like shared governance and tenure weaken, institutions may self-censor even without explicit bans. That dynamic can turn higher-ed censorship into routine risk management. ([PEN America][1])
Federal pressure as a new front
A central claim in the report is that higher-ed censorship is no longer mostly a state story. PEN America argues that the federal government “fully embraced” this effort in 2025. ([PEN America][1])
The report lists “by the numbers” indicators of federal leverage. It cites 90+ Title VI investigations launched since January 2025 by the Department of Justice and the Department of Education. ([PEN America][1])
It also cites $3.7 billion in previously awarded federal research dollars targeted for cuts. ([PEN America][1])
The same table cites 19 executive orders that directly target or otherwise impact higher education. ([PEN America][1])
PEN America’s framing is explicit. It argues that these levers, combined, push institutions toward compliance with political demands. In the press release, the organization describes this as “unprecedented federal interference” threatening academic freedom. ([PEN America][2])
Why this matters beyond campuses
Higher-ed censorship is not only about syllabi. It shapes what institutions fund, curate, and publish.
Research agendas can shift when grant uncertainty rises. Hiring can change when tenure and governance are constrained. University presses and academic journals can face indirect pressure when fields become politically risky.
PEN America also links higher-ed censorship to downstream cultural infrastructure. Museums rely on academic expertise and partnerships. Publishers rely on scholars for translation, editing, and criticism. When academic speech narrows, entire knowledge pipelines can narrow too. ([PEN America][1])
What to watch in 2026
PEN America flags several likely next steps. It warns about expanded “jawboning,” new partisan approaches to accreditation, and continued weaponization of federal research funding and visa decisions. ([PEN America][1])
The report also points to pushback, including lawsuits and organizing, and notes that many universities and higher-education groups rejected a White House “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” ([PEN America][2])
Higher-ed censorship is now being tested in court, in budgets, and in governance rules. The practical question for campuses is no longer whether pressure exists. It is how institutions document compliance decisions, defend academic norms, and manage donor and federal risk without eroding core freedoms.