What a Federal Court Brief Can Teach Us About How To Defend Higher Ed

Kathy Roberts Forde and the Stand Together for Higher Ed leadership have written an op-ed for the Academe Blog, exploring how a recent joint amicus brief, filed by 24 universities in support of Harvard’s lawsuit, offers lessons for defending higher education. The brief challenges the federal government’s efforts to cut research funding and exert control over university practices.

Forde and her colleagues argue that the brief represents a model of coordinated institutional resistance. By pooling legal analysis, public messaging, and shared strategy, universities can better protect academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and the integrity of research. The authors emphasize that when institutions act alone, they are vulnerable. But when they act in concert, they present a more resilient front.

The op-ed outlines how the brief leverages both legal arguments and narrative framing to defend universities’ roles in knowledge creation, faculty governance, and federal research partnerships. It also discusses how shared resources, such as legal counsel, communications support, and strategic coordination, amplify each institution’s capacity to respond.

Forde and the STHE leadership conclude with a call to action: faculty and staff should support this kind of inter-institutional alliance. By aligning efforts, coordinating responses, and making visible our collective strength, the higher education community can better withstand external threats and preserve the mission of universities as spaces of free inquiry.