As we approach the July 4 weekend I want to update you on what’s happening at other college and universities, and on the actions being taken by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and AFT-Mass. in defense of higher education and academic freedom.

Monday, July 7 is the first day of hearings in the case AAUP v Rubio.  This is a lawsuit filed by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and others that challenges the Trump Administration’s policy of arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty who participate in protected speech.   Faculty groups from public and private institutions, including community colleges and research universities, are exercising solidarity to protect students and co-workers.  There is a rally planned at the Federal Courthouse in Boston on July 7 at 1:30 pm. We hope that many of you will be able to support our colleagues in the Harvard AAUP at this rally. Details are attached.  

In addition to the attacks on academic freedom by the federal administration and the direct targeting of several universities such as Columbia, Harvard and the University of Virginia, the fiscal pressures on public institutions of higher education continue to disrupt and impact colleges across the county.  The most recent is at Indiana University which, based on new state requirements for the minimum number of graduates from a program, plans to eliminate, suspend or merge over 100 academic programs ranging from art history to statistics.  Another 300 academic program at the other public institutions in Indiana are also set to be closed.  

See these articles from Forbes https://share.google/jOLFmANg55cReorNV and Inside HigherEd Indiana Public Universities to ‘Voluntarily’ End 19% of Degrees

In Solidarity!