Stanford AAUP

Not only has the NIH terminated hundreds of grants, they’re also giving out far fewer grants than appropriate for their budget. Some researchers will have to close their labs or severely cut back their research. This is a self-inflicted wound.

This American Moment Calls for Psychologists to Think Differently Stand Up for Science Founder Colette Dewala shares what psychologists can uniquely offer to support science in the U.S. political sphere.

From our Founder & CEO Colette Delawalla (@cdelawalla.bsky.social ):
"We want to make sure that science is not only well funded but is also used appropriately for the good of the public and to better the human experience across the world."

Join the fight at standupforscience.net

zurl.co/j4V6K

The politicization of science is harmful for the scientific enterprise itself and also decreases the public’s trust. Many are savvy enough to distinguish scientists from politicians, but decreasing trust in these institutions will have long-term negative consequences.

Congress Restores International-Ed Funding Axed by Trump Lawmakers also increase oversight to block backdoor vetoes of spending by the administration.

Congress has restored funding for international-education and foreign-language programs that had been slashed by the Trump administration and moved to block the executive branch from making unilateral cuts to spending. https://chroni.cl/4bh5Nfj

“The central administration has done not nearly enough to just ensure that international students… are able to be on campus without being concerned that federal agents are going to target them and take them away.”

—Jonathan Feingold, Boston AAUP

“Viewpoint diversity” is a misnomer:

“The Trumpian M.O. is to disguise everything as its opposite, but surely by now we’re wise to that. “Viewpoint diversity” is not a defense of viewpoint diversity, but an assault on it.”

AAUP: Academic freedom on the line | Where ‘viewpoint diversity’ betrays the common good History professor Priya Satia critiques Paul Brest's recent Daily op-ed. "To endorse the language of 'viewpoint diversity,'" Satia writes, "is falling for a feint in an existential war on academic fre...

“If…Geology collectively determines that the flat-Earth theory doesn’t meet its standards, geologists do not, simply for the sake of “viewpoint diversity,” need to continue to hire flat-Earthers …The scholarly pursuit of truth, over time, requires that some “viewpoints” become extinct.”

That so many dumped those efforts immediately proved just how shallow their support was. They would have fought hard and long to protect DEI if they believed in its merits and it mattered to them.

AAUP | “Viewpoint diversity” isn’t about viewpoint diversity History professor Jessica Riskin argues that "viewpoint diversity" is a false pretense for legitimizing extremist views and minimizing productive discourse.

"The university presidents who hasten to concede that their campuses have lacked 'viewpoint diversity' don’t acknowledge that it was their administrations who paid a mint to purchase the very practices they now say limited academic speech."

—Jessica Riskin, @stanfordaaup.bsky.social President

AAUP: Academic freedom on the line | Where ‘viewpoint diversity’ betrays the common good History professor Priya Satia critiques Paul Brest's recent Daily op-ed. "To endorse the language of 'viewpoint diversity,'" Satia writes, "is falling for a feint in an existential war on academic fre...

"Those who support the current attacks on academic freedom often do so out of an actively propagated misunderstanding about who academic freedom protects: mistaking it for coddling of entitled professors, when in fact it serves the common good."

—Priya Satia, @stanfordaaup.bsky.social

This is a huge win for higher ed! Unfortunately, many institutions complied in advance and already folded many of their DEI efforts. This is an example of why it’s so important to resist until there is no other option. Most of the programs that were terminated won’t be resurrected. What a loss.

Will NIH’s new director reform his agency—or destroy it? Jay Bhattacharya is struggling to make the case he’s in charge and has the agency’s best interests at heart

NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya has struggled to convince observers he has the agency’s best interests in mind—and is truly in charge. https://scim.ag/3MMXDSh

LSU is paying its previous football coach over $50 million NOT to coach there while likely guaranteeing Kiffin something approaching double that, all while having an academic hiring freeze and budget cuts across the board. What is the purpose of a university (rhetorical)?

Thank you for boosting!

AAUP | Academic Freedom on the Line In a new column from Stanford's chapter of the American Association of University Professors, history professor Jessica Riskin offers three lessons for universities facing pressure from the federal go...

Important essay by @stanfordaaup.bsky.social colleague Jessica Riskin. The three lessons that universities must learn:

1. Solidarity
2. Integrity, not Neutrality
3. Student Speech

stanforddaily.com/2025/11/16/a...

AAUP | Academic Freedom on the Line In a new column from Stanford's chapter of the American Association of University Professors, history professor Jessica Riskin offers three lessons for universities facing pressure from the federal go...

🔑 3 key lessons Stanford must learn, from the co-president of @stanfordaaup.bsky.social

1️⃣ Solidify solidarity 🤝
2️⃣ Prioritize integrity ❤️‍🔥
3️⃣ Let students speak! 📣

stanforddaily.com/2025/11/16/a...

Stanford Students Sue Over Trump’s Crackdown on Political Speech Amid the administration’s war on higher education, The Stanford Daily’s lawsuit targets federal statutes that allow deportation and visa revocation based on political speech.

"The Stanford Daily et al. suit comes on the heels of a major First Amendment victory; The American Association of University Professors sued Rubio, and the court held that the Trump administration unconstitutionally targeted noncitizens for deportation based on pro-Palestinian speech."

It’s a shame BBC hasn’t yet learned that caving to bullies won’t prevent them from coming after you.

AAUP @ Univ. of Houston Opposes Campus Censorship CONTACT:  Daniel Morales, JD, President of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Chapter at the University of Houston, daniel.ibsen.morales@gmail.com

📢📢The AAUP chapter at the University of Houston has sent the following letter to admin: “We are deeply concerned that the directives outlined in Chancellor Khator's email present significant risks to academic freedom, to the integrity of our teaching mission + to the University’s legal obligations.”

Opinion | ‘We Lost Our Mission’: Three University Leaders on the Future of Higher Ed

“I think this initiative has as much to do with scientific research as the early [antisemitism] initiative had to do with protecting Jews. This is an extortionist move to try to hold institutions that are heavily dependent on federal funding, as research institutions are, to have leverage over them.

Again, this is an existential crisis for the entire financial & academic model of 🇺🇸 public universities, but the public doesn’t understand this, in part because our leaders have been <totally absent from the public square> on this issue. It’s maddening:

bsky.app/profile/mcop...

this moment calls for deep solidarity — a kind of collective politics faculty haven't been used to practicing. proud to stand with colleagues across stanford and across the country today.

Photo of a blow-up penguin with “be n-ice, No ice” on the costume

Spotted at our @stanfordaaup.bsky.social teach-in today!

Stanford Teach-In: A thread... 👇🏼🧵 #DefendHigherEd

Thread from one of our members on what federal funding changes have done to science—this was a sobering part of our teach-in today

…when our core values are attacked is not defending our universities but relinquishing our mission so that we have nothing left to defend.”

Professor Riskin ended her talk with a resounding call for free speech and amplification students’ voices. Let’s go!

…neutrality.

Although the Kalven Report advocates for neutrality, it still acknowledges universities should speak up when their own work is threatened.

Integrity demands that we speak up for what we believe in, not that we stay silent in the face of an existential assault. “To remain silent…

We must stand with all other universities in fighting the efforts to take over higher education. Solidarity is critical in this time. Rather than each university responding to strong arming, universities should present a united front.

Professor Riskin goes on to advocate for integrity, not…

Photo of Professor Riskin standing on an outdoor stage next to a Stanford AAUP banner

Our chapter president, Jessica Riskin, is now speaking on the attacks on higher education, journalism, and law. She expresses dismay at how these professions have caved to the government’s bullying. It’s time for us to fight back!