Stop the Spread of Authoritarian Power on Campus

If you are a student, faculty member, booster, community member or alumnus, click here to let college administrations know that you want them to be independent: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/university-administrations-reject-trumps-loyalty-oath-compacts?source=direct_link&

If you are associated with any of these colleges: University of Arizona, Brown University, Dartmouth College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, Vanderbilt University, or the University of Virginia, please sign the this following petition:
https://alumni.controlshift.app/petitions/trump-attacks-9-universities-sign-the-alumni-petition-to-defend-your-school-now

Here is a simple script to guide you as a start:

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m [a student / an alum / a parent / a donor / a concerned supporter] of [University Name].

I’m calling because I’m alarmed by the recent deals that numerous colleges have struck with the Trump administration. These agreements force discriminatory and authoritarian policies onto campuses under the threat of funding loss.

I’m urging [University Name] to publicly commit to refusing any deal with the Trump administration that undermines trans rights, student privacy, or free expression. I am much more inclined to donate to institutions that stand strong against the current administration.

Students and alumni are watching. Please don’t cave.

Subject: Reject Trump’s Campus Extortion Scheme

Body (and feel free to customize this to make it your own!):

Dear [President NAME / University Administration],

I’m writing to urge you to make one thing clear: [University Name] will not cave to Donald Trump’s political bullying.

What we’re seeing isn’t normal—it’s coercion. The Trump administration is freezing funding and launching investigations to force universities to police gender, hand over student data, and chill dissent.

We call on you to:

• Publicly reject any deal that undermines trans rights, student safety, or academic freedom
• Refuse to let this institution be weaponized for Trump’s culture war
• Join peer institutions in defending higher education from authoritarian overreach

This is a moment of moral clarity. Either you stand with your students—or you stand aside while they’re targeted. I am much more inclined to donate to institutions that stand strong against the current administration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Affiliation: Student / Alumni / Faculty / Staff / Supporter]
[Graduation Year / Department, if applicable]

Body (and feel free to customize this to make it your own!):

As a {alumni/alumna, student, faculty member of your university/college}, I am writing at a moment of profound consequence for American higher education and our democracy. I support the {college’s/university’s} academic independence and right to pursue its mission and values without political dictate or interference. The Trump administration is escalating its relentless campaign against colleges and universities. Unconstitutional demands being made by this administration represent a blatant encroachment on academic freedom and university autonomy.

Columbia and Brown’s settlements represent a dangerous capitulation that risks eroding the foundation of American higher education. This is a critical juncture—and it’s essential you do not make a deal with the Trump Administration that cedes the university’s autonomy. Do not give in.

I call on {college, university} to:

1.     Uphold our independence by rejecting any demands made by the Trump administration to monitor and oversee the {university’s/college’s} core functions, including governance and structure, admissions, employment, research and scholarship, speech, expression, mission, and values.
2.     Reject political interference in {university/college} decision-making.
3.     Protect students, faculty, researchers, and staff, especially those with international status, from any intrusions of privacy, unwarranted immigration action, and attacks on their constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.
4.     Ensure that admissions, hiring, employment and disciplinary processes do not treat students, faculty, researchers, scholars, and staff differently based on political viewpoint or on engagement in expressive activities disfavored by the government.
5.     Create a structure and mechanisms for direct and timely engagement with students, faculty, researchers, and staff on changes which directly affect the institution’s community.
6.     Refuse punitive action, including hefty fines.
7.     Hold the line to preserve the role that higher education plays in our democracy, and for the lives benefitted by the research, service, and scholarship of the {university/college}. 

By demonstrating that our values, integrity, and freedom are not for sale, the {university/college} will inspire its graduates, families of graduates, students, and faculty members to continue to give their financial support to the institution.

We must resist — democracy depends on it.

This section provides a list of colleges who have not caved to this administration’s proposed “compact”.

• Brown University: Christina Hull Paxson – president@brown.edu
• Dartmouth College: Sian Beilock – Presidents.Office@dartmouth.edu
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Sally Kornbluth – president@mit.edu
• University of Arizona: Suresh Garimella – president@arizona.edu
• University of Pennsylvania: J. Larry Jameson – ljameson@mail.med.upenn.edu
• University of Southern California (USC): Beong-Soo Kim – president@usc.edu
• University of Virginia (UVA): Paul G. Mahoney – president@virginia.edu

Dear President [last name],

Thank you for standing up to the current administration’s authoritarian demands on your institution. You and your team have shown leadership and courage in the face of pressure to relinquish your academic integrity.

Independence and freedom from political interference have made American universities global beacons in innovation, research, and scholarship. They are cornerstones of our democracy. Academic freedom, along with the bedrock constitutional freedoms of speech, association, expression, and inquiry, form the foundation of American higher education and democracy.

You, your team, and your colleagues will be recognized and rewarded for standing strong against the current onslaught against our freedom and the independence of higher education in

I want to express my deep thanks for all you have done and will continue to do.

[your name]

If you have ties to the institution, please add a personal note

Quick and easy form to let us know you took action! Click here. Thank you!

Share a link to this page to everyone you know who has gone or is going to college and ask them to call and email.