Faculty members from universities in the United States, including public institutions that do not benefit from endowments, are uniting to counter the Donald Trump administration’s efforts against academic freedoms.
This month, the Bloomington faculty council at Indiana University took a cue from Rutgers University by adopting a resolution aimed at forming a coalition among all 18 universities in the Big 10 academic alliance to protect academic freedoms.
The resolution was prompted by “recent and escalating politically motivated actions by governmental bodies [which] pose a significant threat to the core principles of American higher education, including university governance autonomy, scientific research integrity, and free speech protection”.
The Big 10 academic alliance comprises 18 institutions: University of Illinois, Indiana University, University of Iowa, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, University of Oregon, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California, University of Washington, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.
According to the resolution, “the integrity of one institution is a concern for all; any infringement upon a member university of the Big Ten shall be viewed as an infringement against all”.
This initiative from Indiana University’s Bloomington faculty council follows the raid of Xiaofeng Wang’s home by FBI and Department of Homeland Security agents. Wang, a Chinese national and cybersecurity professor who taught at the university for two decades, was affected by the raid.
On the day of the raid, Wang, who has not faced any charges, was terminated via email in a manner that violates the university’s own procedures.
Faculty members and the Bloomington chapter of the American Association of University Professors criticized Wang’s dismissal, remarking: “The mere existence of an investigation or unadjudicated allegations cannot excuse the administration’s failure to adhere to university policies… It’s foundational that individuals are considered innocent until proven guilty.”
To establish a pact, university leaders within the Big 10 academic alliance will need to hold a summit to facilitate its initiation, according to the Indiana Daily Student.
Should a pact be created, the universities would pledge to “allocate meaningful funding to a shared or distributed defense fund”. This fund would provide “immediate and strategic support to any member institution facing direct political or legal challenges”.
In recent weeks, Trump has targeted numerous universities, including private ones like Harvard University, which possesses an endowment, in his administration’s campaigns against perceived antisemitism and civil rights infringements. Several schools in the Big 10 academic alliance have also come under Trump’s scrutiny.
Indiana University Bloomington is one of 60 institutions currently under federal investigation for alleged “antisemitic harassment and discrimination”. The administration has also investigated the University of Washington and Penn State University, where numerous international students’ visas were revoked. Furthermore, federal authorities are examining the University of Oregon’s collaboration with the PhD Project, a nonprofit organization assisting marginalized communities in earning degrees.
The Guardian has reached out to the schools in the Big 10 academic alliance.
In a statement to the Guardian, Robin Kaler, associate chancellor of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, remarked: “Free speech and academic freedom are essential to our university’s missions of discovery and exploration… The university is dedicated to upholding the First Amendment rights of all individuals. This is a legal requirement for any public entity and an ethical obligation for an institution like ours that values various perspectives and academic inquiry.”
Additionally, Dory Devlin, assistant vice-president at Rutgers University, stated: “The university values the guidance from the university senate in promoting collaborative efforts among universities across the Big Ten and beyond to find common ground and shared values during this period of shifting federal policies, while acknowledging that each school within the conference has its own unique dynamics and pressures.”
In addition to calls for universities to close their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, Trump has frozen funding and issued a series of broad and coercive demands to these institutions.
Recently, Trump instructed Harvard University to perform audits on student bodies, faculty, and leadership regarding their views on diversity, prohibit face masks, and stop the recognition and funding of “any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence or illegal harassment”.
Harvard has resisted the Trump administration’s demands, garnering support from Barack Obama and Yale University, while Trump further criticized Harvard, calling it a “joke” that “teaches hate and stupidity”.
