Student censorship incidents reached a record in 2025, with the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression documenting 273 attempts to investigate, punish or censor student expression. Cases encompassed controversies over LGBTQ+ identity, pro‑Palestine protests, DEI programming and reactions to the assassination of a public figure, producing litigation and administrative conflict across campuses. The pattern of increased administrative and political pressure has spilled into personnel actions: an Oklahoma instructor dismissed amid controversy is appealing a termination, illustrating how individual classroom events can escalate into high‑profile litigation and media attention. Free‑speech watchdogs warn campuses to sharpen due‑process safeguards for students and staff and to ensure review policies are applied consistently; administrators say balancing safety, civil rights and academic freedom is increasingly difficult under rapid political scrutiny. Operationally: trustees and legal counsel should review student‑conduct policies and crisis response playbooks to reduce ad hoc, punitive responses that can invite litigation and further polarize campus communities.