Faculty Senates Are Banding Together to Stand Up to Trump
We’re encouraged to see faculty senates across the country stepping up to defend higher education. As reported in the Chronicle of Higher Education, governance bodies at Rutgers, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Indiana University–Bloomington, and UMass Amherst have passed resolutions pledging to support one another when political or financial pressures threaten academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
These resolutions affirm a simple but powerful principle: an attack on one university is an attack on all. Faculty leaders are working to create cross-campus alliances that can share resources—legal expertise, communications support, and coordinated advocacy—so that no institution stands alone when confronted with outside interference.
The movement is spreading. Additional senates are considering adopting similar measures, and conversations are growing across state and conference lines. While some university leaders have responded cautiously, faculty are making it clear: shared governance is not optional. It is a cornerstone of academic excellence and democratic society.
At Stand Together for Higher Ed, we see these senate-led efforts as part of the same larger vision we’re building: faculty and staff organizing across institutions, disciplines, and regions to defend our shared values. Together, we can ensure that higher education remains strong, independent, and accountable to the public good.
