"These court victories tell us that … we have a right to say that Charlie Kirk said some disgusting things, and just because we’re faculty members doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to say those things"
Update. The Trump admin is demanding a list of Jewish faculty, staff, and students at #UPenn.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/13/upenn-trump-jews-list
Trump's #EEOC asked for the list last July. Penn refused, and the EEOC sued the university in November. What's new is that several groups just filed a motion in federal court to intervene in the lawsuit on the side of the university -- the American Association of University Professors (#AAUP, national and UPenn chapters), the American Academy of Jewish Research, the UPenn Jewish Law Students Association, the UPenn Association of Senior and Emeritus Faculty.
From #StevenWeitzman, UPenn prof of religious studies and past member of its antisemitism taskforce: “Part of what sets off alarm bells for people like me is a history of people using Jewish lists against Jews. The Nazi campaign against Jews depended on institutions like universities handing over information about their Jewish members to the authorities.”
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #Antisemitism #Trump #Universities #USPol #USPolitics
"in some letters declining the compact, much ink was spilled to reassure the Trump administration that universities were already complying with many of the proposed changes—without even being asked! These practices chill academic freedom" - my #USCAAUP chapter pres in LA Times
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-11-13/trump-compact-higher-education-academic-freedom
archive link: https://archive.ph/TxBWo
"Federal judge sides with #UCalifornia employees in free speech lawsuit against Trump administration."
https://www.dailycal.org/news/uc/federal-judge-sides-with-uc-employees-in-free-speech-lawsuit-against-trump-administration/article_e3b28762-0801-49c7-ae1e-4f50c56d76a6.html
"In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin ordered the federal government to cease threats of withholding federal funding, as well as to 'address Plaintiffs’ irreparable harm and to restore the status quo.' "
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #AAUP #Censorship #DefendResearch #FirstAmendment #Trump #TrumpVResearch #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics #Universities
Update. Here's the announcement from the American Association of University Professors ( #AAUP), a co-plaintiff in the case.
https://www.aaup.org/news/win-aaup-v-trump-court-blocks-attacks-university-california-system
"Friday’s decision orders a stop to the Trump administration’s illegal weaponization of civil rights laws and federal funding to restrict free speech on UC campuses. During the hearing on the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction, the court noted the overwhelming evidence plaintiffs provided, which included numerous declarations from UC faculty and staff describing how the administration’s actions have chilled their rights of speech and association."
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #Censorship #DefendResearch #FirstAmendment #Trump #TrumpVResearch #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics #UCalifornia #Universities
"Federal judge sides with #UCalifornia employees in free speech lawsuit against Trump administration."
https://www.dailycal.org/news/uc/federal-judge-sides-with-uc-employees-in-free-speech-lawsuit-against-trump-administration/article_e3b28762-0801-49c7-ae1e-4f50c56d76a6.html
"In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin ordered the federal government to cease threats of withholding federal funding, as well as to 'address Plaintiffs’ irreparable harm and to restore the status quo.' "
#Academia #AcademicMastodon #AAUP #Censorship #DefendResearch #FirstAmendment #Trump #TrumpVResearch #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics #Universities
"in some letters declining the compact, much ink was spilled to reassure the Trump administration that universities were already complying with many of the proposed changes—without even being asked! These practices chill academic freedom" - my #USCAAUP chapter pres in LA Times
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2025-11-13/trump-compact-higher-education-academic-freedom
archive link: https://archive.ph/TxBWo
"Students, faculty and staff at more than 100 campuses across the US rallied against the Trump administration’s assault on higher education on Friday"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/07/student-protest-trump-education-attacks
"Students, faculty and staff at more than 100 campuses across the US rallied against the Trump administration’s assault on higher education on Friday"
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/07/student-protest-trump-education-attacks
Update. "#NIH Ends Future Funding to Study the #Health Effects of #Climate Change"
https://www.propublica.org/article/nih-funding-climate-change-public-health
"The National Institutes of Health will no longer be funding work on the health effects of climate change, according to internal records reviewed by ProPublica…While it’s unclear whether the climate guidance will impact active grants and lead to funding terminations, the directive appears to halt opportunities for future funding of studies or academic programs focused on the health effects of climate change."
#Censorship #DefendResearch #Funding #Medicine #Trump #USPol #USPolitics
Update. Here are some press releases and news stories on the lawsuit against the #Trump admin by American Association of University Professors (#AAUP) and the American Federation of Teachers (#AFT).
* From the AAUP
https://www.aaup.org/news/aaup-allies-sue-over-trump-policy-arresting-and-threatening-deport-students-and-faculty-lawful
* From the AFT
https://www.aft.org/press-release/faculty-unions-sue-trump-admin-no-halting-science-research-suppress-speech
* From The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/25/pro-palestine-student-deportation-lawsuit?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
* From the NYTimes
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/nyregion/professors-sue-trump.html
#Academia #Censorship #DefendResearch #MahmoudKhalil #Protests #Travel #Universities #USLaw #USPol #USPolitics
@academicchatter