Friends:
Want to know what's up with U.S. higher education?
 |
| Dr. Mildred Boveda |
Here is a treasure trove of information and resources consisting of the following: Books, author interviews, YouTube presentations, peer reviewed Articles, executive orders, policy briefs, policy memos, legal filings, op-eds, periodicals, news briefs, webinars, podcasts, recorded conference sessions and more. This is a great source for folks in the media, as well as for scholars, graduate students, and anyone in the general public in need of current research.
Thanks to Penn State Professor Dr. Mildred Boveda for sharing.
I encourage you to subscribe to her Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mboveda?app=desktop where she is video-logging ("v-logging") current developments in education. I'm a subscriber and a fan!
Thanks, Dr. Boveda for facilitating the accessibility all these resources. The best way to navigate the different sections is to keyword the specific topic you're interested in. If you continue reading below, you can help keep this list of resources current by filling out the linked form for consideration.
-Angela Valenzuela
***
Gaining Clarity 2025:
A Reading List to Know Your Political Moment
Without education, people will accept anything. Without education, what you’ll have is neo-colonialism instead of colonialism like you have now. Without education, people don’t know why they’re doing what they’re doing, you know what I mean? - Fred Hampton (1969)
The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing. - Toni Morrison (1975)
Introduction
Are you currently affiliated with a college or university? Are you interested in pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies in the United States? If so, we imagine you are trying to make sense of what’s currently happening in Washington DC and throughout the country. Here’s a developing reading list that includes webinars, podcasts, and online videos.
The curation of this list is by no means an endorsement of its content but an attempt to support understandings of what’s happening to U.S. colleges and universities. In addition, it is intended to offer you support and resources during these challenging times.
If you have readings and media you think should be included in this list, please fill out the linked form for our consideration.
Books (& related media) * Peer Review Articles * Policy Briefs/Legal Filings * Op-Ed/News Reports *Webinars and Conference Recordings *Public Data Sets *Professional Org. Statements
*Additional Readings *Taking Action
Books (& related media)
Asian American Is Not a Color: Conversations on Race, Affirmative Action, and Family, delves into the complexities of Asian American identity, particularly in the context of affirmative action debates. Inspired by her young daughter's questions about race, Oiyan Poon combines personal narratives with extensive research and interviews to explore what it means to be Asian American. She highlights the diverse perspectives within the Asian American community, noting that while some view racism as a systemic issue requiring collective solutions, others see it as an individual problem solvable through personal effort. Through these discussions, Poon emphasizes the importance of understanding and solidarity in envisioning a more equitable future
Virtual Book Talk w/author (May 1, 2024):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQKs47JeNow
Poon, O. A. (2024). Asian American Is not a Color: Conversations on Race, Affirmative
Action, and Family. Beacon Press.
"The Far-Right, Education and Violence: An Educational Philosophy and Theory Reader Volume IX" is a co-edited volume that delves into the influence of far-right ideologies on educational institutions, including those in the United States. The book examines how far-right movements have targeted U.S. universities as arenas for promoting their agendas and inciting conflicts. It discusses instances where far-right groups organized events on campuses, leading to significant unrest and violence. For example, the 2017 Berkeley protests are highlighted, where planned speeches by far-right figures resulted in clashes and substantial property damage. The University of Virginia is another location explored as a target for promoting white supremacists agendas and inciting conflicts. The volume explores the strategies employed by these groups to infiltrate and disrupt academic environments, such as distributing propaganda and organizing provocative events. Additionally, it addresses the broader implications of these actions on academic freedom, campus safety, and the role of higher education in fostering democratic values. Through these discussions, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of the challenges posed by far-right activities within U.S. universities and the impact on the educational landscape.
Salient chapters: Chapter 5 - The tragedy of Charlottesville; Chapter 12 - The Failure of
Liberalism and Liberal Education
Peters, M. A., & Besley, T. (2020). The far-right, education and violence: An
educational philosophy and theory reader Volume IX. Routledge.
In The Thinkers: The Rise of Partisan Think Tanks and the Polarization of American Politics, author E.J. Fagan examines the evolution of think tanks in the United States and their influence on policy-making and political polarization. Think Tanks often “call themselves universities without students” While the book primarily focuses on the relationship between think tanks and political parties, it also touches upon their interactions with higher education institutions. Fagan discusses how certain think tanks have established connections with universities, funding research centers or academic programs that align with their ideological perspectives. These collaborations can lead to the promotion of specific policy agendas within academic settings, potentially affecting the objectivity of scholarly research. Additionally, the book explores the role of think tanks in shaping public discourse on higher education policies, such as debates over free speech on campuses and the perceived liberal bias in academia. By analyzing these dynamics, Fagan highlights the complex interplay between partisan think tanks and higher education, illustrating how these relationships contribute to broader political polarization in the United States.
Interview w/author (September 2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpnDqmIZi8A
Fagan, E. J. (2024). The thinkers: The rise of partisan think tanks and the polarization of
American politics. Oxford University Press.
Democracy in Chains provides a historical and ideological backdrop to the conservative movement’s efforts to reshape higher education. By detailing the funding of libertarian programs in universities and the creation of conservative academic networks, MacLean illustrates how these strategies are part of a broader plan to shift public discourse and policy.
Podcast w/author (November 2024): https://evergreenpodcasts.com/burn-the-boats/nancy-maclean-democracy-in-chains
MacLean, N. (2017). Democracy in chains: The deep history of the radical right's stealth
plan for America. Penguin.
In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities are Plundering Our Cities explains how universities operate as big business—powerful economic and political entities that drive development and public policy decisions. Davarian Baldwin uses case studies from across the U.S. and Canada to trace the intertwined histories of university growth and urban development in relation to colonialism, urban renewal, displacement, and inequality. He explores the complicated relationships between public and private entities as higher education has become an industry that is a significant employer, real estate holder, health care provider, and policing force in many cities. Baldwin challenges us to imagine more equitable and less exploitative universities and communities.
More from the author:
Baldwin, Davarian L. (2021). "The reparations movement in higher education." Thinking
Republic. https://www.thethinkingrepublic.com/being-counted/the-reparations-movement-in-higher-education
Baldwin, D.L. (2021). In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities are
Plundering Our Cities. Bold Type Books.
Free Speech and Koch Money: Manufacturing a Campus Culture War offers a critical lens on how the right-wing movement uses the rhetoric of free speech to attack and reshape higher education, aligning with broader efforts to weaken public institutions and promote conservative ideologies. It provides both a scholarly analysis and a call to action for those concerned about the integrity and independence of higher education.
Written interview w/authors (2022): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03063968221127591?utm_source=chatgpt.comb
Wilson, R. & Kamola, I. (2021). Free speech and Koch money: Manufacturing a campus
culture war. Pluto Press.
Philanthropy, Hidden Strategy and Collective Resistance: A Primer for Concerned Educators by Justin Mueller, Isaac Kamola, and Ralph Wilson, examines how wealthy philanthropists and private foundations use their donations to influence higher education in ways that align with their political and ideological agendas. The book focuses on how these donors shape university policies, research agendas, and curricula, often prioritizing market-driven approaches, neoliberal ideals, and conservative values.
DeMarrais, K., Brewer, T. J., Lewis, J. B., Herron, B. A., & Atkinson, J. C. (2019).
Philanthropy, hidden strategy, and collective resistance: A primer for concerned educators. Myers Education Press
The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex critiques how non-profit organizations can (in)advertently uphold systems of oppression. While the book doesn't focus extensively on higher education, it does touch upon themes relevant to academia. Additionally, the book discusses the concept of the "shadow state," describing how non-profits and NGOs take on roles traditionally held by government agencies, including in education and social services. This dynamic can lead to the privatization of public services and a shift in accountability. While direct references to higher education are limited, the book's analysis of the non-profit industrial complex offers insights into how market forces and funding structures can impact educational institutions.
Salient quote: "Everyone, whether an educator, a health care worker, or a domestic violence advocate is working in pseudo-corporate environments where the culture and organization of the market is increasingly encroaching on our lives."
Blog by organization/authors:
https://incite-national.org/beyond-the-non-profit-industrial-complex/
INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence. (2020). The revolution will not be funded:
Beyond the non-profit industrial complex. Duke University Press.
Resistance from the Right: Conservatives and the Campus Wars in Modern America by Lauren Lassabe Shepherd examines how conservative movements have influenced higher education in the United States. The analysis spans the period from f focuses on how conservative movements emerged and evolved during these decades, particularly in response to the liberal activism and cultural shifts occurring on college campuses. The book examines how these conservative efforts laid the groundwork for the broader culture wars that continue to influence American higher education and politics today.
Virtual Book Talk (August 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KySsgRVnIE
Shepherd, L. L. (2023). Resistance from the Right: Conservatives and the Campus Wars
in Modern America. UNC Press Books.
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide. While White Rage focuses broadly on racial dynamics in American history, its analysis is relevant to higher education in how it addresses systemic barriers that affect access, equity, and representation in universities. The book provides context for understanding racial tensions on campuses and the policies that contribute to ongoing disparities in education. If you're exploring how systemic forces impact societal structures, including universities, White Rage offers a powerful and insightful perspective.
Interview with author (October 2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEcrgPrucpU
Anderson, C. (2016). White rage: The unspoken truth of our racial divide. Bloomsbury
Publishing USA.
In Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, investigative journalist Jane Mayer examines how affluent individuals and families have strategically used their wealth to influence American politics and society, with a significant focus on higher education. Mayer details how figures like Charles and David Koch, along with others, have funded university programs, think tanks, and academic positions to promote free-market ideologies and conservative principles. This funding often comes with conditions that allow these donors to shape curricula and research agendas, thereby steering academic discourse in directions that align with their interests. Such actions have raised concerns about academic freedom and the integrity of educational institutions.
Author book talk (recorded February 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8XcLHdejHQ
Mayer, J. (2016). Dark money: The hidden history of the billionaires behind the rise of
the radical right. Anchor.
The Death of Expertise by Tom Nichols explores how the rejection of expert knowledge and authority has become a growing issue in modern society. Nichols argues that the democratization of information, particularly through the internet and social media, has led to a culture where everyone feels equally knowledgeable, regardless of actual expertise. This trend undermines public trust in professionals, academics, and institutions, contributing to misinformation and polarized discourse. In the second edition, Nichols delves deeper into the evolving relationship between the right and higher education. He observes that the party has increasingly adopted a stance of skepticism, and at times outright hostility, toward academic institutions. This shift is characterized by a growing narrative that portrays universities as bastions of liberal indoctrination, leading to efforts to curtail academic freedom and reduce funding for higher education. Nichols argues that this antagonism not only undermines the value of expertise cultivated within these institutions but also contributes to a broader cultural devaluation of knowledge and intellectual rigor. He emphasizes that such actions pose a significant threat to the foundational principles of informed discourse and democratic governance.
Nichols, T. (2024). The death of expertise: The campaign against established knowledge
and why it matters. Oxford University Press.
In Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming, Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway reveal how a small group of politically motivated scientists, backed by corporate funding, deliberately manufactured doubt about well-established scientific facts to protect economic and ideological interests. By attacking experts, amplifying fringe views through media, and framing regulation as a threat to freedom, they successfully delayed action on major public health and environmental crises like tobacco-related illness and climate change. The book exposes how these strategies were not just about winning scientific debates but about undermining public trust in knowledge itself to serve powerful interests.
Oreskes, N., & Conway, E. M. (2011). Merchants of doubt: How a handful of scientists
obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
YouTube video of Naomi Oreskes speaking at Arizona State University (April 22, 2013)
Storming the Ivory Tower: How a Florida college became Ground Zero in the Struggle focuses on the political attacks on the New College of Florida and claims to explore political struggles in Florida’s higher education. It is undermined by its biased, selective storytelling, and lack of depth. The foreword is written by Christopher Rufo, a controversial figure due to his role in shaping the political and cultural discourse around topics like critical race theory (CRT), diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and education reform. The book relies on cherry-picked anecdotes, sensationalism, and questionable, unverified sources, blurring fact and conjecture. Its absence of diverse perspectives diminishes credibility. Structurally, it is repetitive and disorganized, with overwrought prose and sluggish pacing. Critically, it offers no constructive solutions, devolving into a list of grievances rather than meaningful analysis. Ultimately, it prioritizes partisan grandstanding over thoughtful discussion, offering little value to readers seeking balanced insights.
Corcoran, R. (2024). Storming the Ivory Tower: How a Florida college became Ground
Zero in the Struggle to Take Back Our Campuses. Simon and Schuster.
From publisher site: “A firsthand account of how Richard Corcoran, former education commissioner of Florida, successfully took on powerful progressive interest groups, broke their monopoly, and paved the way for higher education reform across America.”
Video interview of Chris Ruffo who wrote the preface to this book. Observe the war rhetoric.
CRT, DEI, and the Leftist Takeover of America | Chris Rufo
Peer Review Articles
Special Issue - (9 articles) Journal of College and Character, Volume 26, Issue 1 (2025) Ethical Higher Education in the Anti-DEI Legislative Climate
Black, W., & Bogotch, I. (2024). Illiberal democracy has now come to Florida: what can academics do?. Journal of Educational Administration and History, 56(4), 411-418. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220620.2024.2370347
Salient quotes: “Reclaiming narratives in the battles over state/society struggles over influence and control of universities requires a return to ethical and just use of empiricism and ‘facts’. As an example, while DeSantis recently celebrated the takeover of New College, the structural change has resulted in the lowest retention rates in the state as well as the departure of over a third of the faculty in the last year and a half (Gancarski 2024).” p. 5
“As academics, we need to recognise that we are in the midst of a struggle in which we are defined by the far right in ableist ways as being ideologically dis/abled and out of the ‘normal’. We can and should embrace our work (i.e. teaching, research, and service) and struggle as embedded in a long, continuing, and more vibrant rearticulation of our collective values and interdependence in the world’s affairs. This is where we are. “ p. 6
Burke, K. J., Juzwik, M., & Prins, E. (2023). White Christian nationalism: What is it,
and why does it matter for educational research? Educational Researcher, 52(5),
286-295. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X231163147
Salient quote: “White Christian nationalist beliefs have mobilized a strategic grassroots and legislative political campaign to defeat school and university curriculum centering (or merely including) (a) the stories and experiences of Black and other racialized (often not Christian) people in US history and (b) the stories and experiences of LGBTQ+ people, both of which contribute to broadening cultural understandings of the United States as a nation-state.”
Cho, K. S., Davis III, C. H., & Morgan, D. L. (2024). What’s under attack: Activism and
institutional conflict within US higher education. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 17461979241291009. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51ab9fa0e4b06a38e604420a/t/673b702ad045e975d13e181b/1731948587111/Cho%2C+Davis%2C+%26+Morgan+%282024%29+%E2%80%93+What%27s+Under+Attack%3F.pdf
Abstract: Within the United States, the targeted efforts against Critical Race Theory, political machinations against higher education governance, and the use of surveillance on liberatory protests, reveals a complicated nexus regarding educational activism and institutional navigation. Through the Actors, Contexts, Tactics, and Strategies (A.C.T.S.) Framework, we offer an expansive understanding of the who, what, how, when, and where of activism. By applying this framework to three distinct yet interrelated examples on legislative fights against diversity, tenure and governance, and pro-Palestine activism, we illuminate the role of institutional mechanics to reimagine the institutional fatality of ‘this is just how things are’ and an inevitable political tide. In doing so, this manuscript offers a robust analysis of institutionalism, opposition, support, and transformation.
Dader, K., Ghantous, W., Masad, D., Joronen, M., Kallio, K. P., Riding, J., & Vainikka, J.
(2024). Topologies of scholasticide in Gaza: education in spaces of elimination. Fennia-International Journal of Geography, 202(1), 1-12.
https://fennia.journal.fi/article/view/147002/93842
Scholasticide and educide refer to the deliberate destruction of educational institutions, systems, and intellectual communities, often during conflicts or under oppressive regimes to suppress societal growth. Epistemicide extends this concept to the systematic erasure of entire knowledge systems, particularly those of marginalized or colonized groups, through cultural domination or colonialism.
Discussed in the article is “Gaza: UN experts decry ‘systemic obliteration’ of education
system.”
Garces, L. M., Johnson, B. D., Ambriz, E., & Bradley, D. (2021). Repressive legalism: How postsecondary administrators’ responses to on-campus hate speech undermine a focus on inclusion. American Educational Research Journal, 58(5), 1032-1069.https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312211027586
Garibay, J. C., Herrera, F. A., Johnston-Guerrero, M. P., & Garcia, G. A. (2020). Campus
racial incidents, hate crimes, and white male and female students’ racial attitudes. The Journal of Higher Education, 91(1), 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2019.1596651
Grosfoguel, R. (2013). The structure of knowledge in westernised universities: Epistemic
racism/sexism and the four genocides/epistemicides. Human Architecture: Journal of the Sociology of Self-knowledge, 1(1), 73-90.
https://www.niwrc.org/sites/default/files/images/resource/2%20The%20Structure%20of%20Knowledge%20in%20Westernized%20Universities_%20Epistemic.pdf
Rall, R. M., Morgan, D. L., Commodore, F., Fischer, R. A., & Bernstein, S. (2024).
Introducing boards to the equity conversation: State-level governing boards and discourses of social justice. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 17(4), 467. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2022-88586-001
The authors explain the role that state-level governing boards (SLGBs) play in the
leadership and governance of higher education.
Weigmann, K. (2001). In the name of science: The role of biologists in Nazi atrocities:
lessons for today's scientists. EMBO reports, 2(10), 871-875.
https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.1093/embo-reports/kve217
Salient quote: “Indeed, the interaction between science and politics during the National Socialist era was manifold. Many scientists were on expert advisory committees, directly feeding the system with scientific justification, many of them scientists from the KWS…. Scientists were then required to put Nazi ideology into practice. The Nuremberg Law required the classification of all Germans as ‘Aryans’, ‘Full’ ‘Half’ or ‘Quarter Jew’. In cases of doubt, the Reich Kinship Bureau consulted scientists, many of whom were from the KWI for Anthropology, Human Genetics and Eugenics. Their judgement decided the fate of these people, and decisions were taken with scientific precision.”
Relevant social media thread related to physicists role in Nazi atrocities
Executive Orders Related to Education (in chronological order)
Trump Education EOs Timeline Implementing Actions :
This document was created by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Policy Briefs; Policy Memos; Legal Filings (in chronological order)
Legal Memo and Guidance from 15 Attorney Generals to Higher Ed institutions and K-12 Schools March 5, 2025
The Attorneys General of Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia
Congressional call on the Education Department to protect the essential work of the Institute of Education Sciences: https://docs.publicnow.com/viewDoc?filename=83859%5CEXT%5C16CC27E9618362EC0191141789C1D1D2BDC6E68D_97BA6D4DFCC1888802681B64F60405223F869991.PDF
DEI Programs Are Lawful Under Federal Civil Rights Laws and Supreme Court Precedent. (Memo to Colleagues, University Offices of General Counsel, and University Leaders) https://app.box.com/s/2me4mszr6p4oinnucw8i4jmb8d7570kp (February 20., 2025)
Dear Colleague Letter From Craig Trainir Acting Assistant Secretary for Civul Rights US Department of Education (February 14, 2025)
Chronicle of Higher Education DEI Legislation Tracker
Video: (February 5, 2025) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xG2TXLDaB_4
National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education; American Association of University Professors; Restaurant Opportunities Centers United; Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, Maryland vs. Donald Trump, in his official capacity as President of the United States… (February 3, 2025) legal filing
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.575287/gov.uscourts.mdd.575287.1.0.pdf
National Science Foundation (January 31, 2025) - update on the federal funding injunction
NCF Freedom -NCFF - Files Federal First Amendment Lawsuit Against the State of Florida Over Free Speech (SB266)
“Understanding the Attacks on Critical Race Theory” National Education Policy Center
López, F., Molnar, A., Johnson, R., Patterson, A., Ward, L., & Kumashiro, K. (2021). Understanding the attacks on critical race theory. National Education Policy Center.
“13 Myths About Affirmative Action” produced by African American Policy Forum https://www.aapf.org/_files/ugd/62e126_3ed1cf40bd6749c093792696d66efa27.pdf
The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) produced a 13-part series titled "13 Myths About Affirmative Action: A Special Series on a Public Policy Under Siege," which aired on Michael Eric Dyson's radio show. This series aimed to debunk common misconceptions surrounding affirmative action. Each installment of the series addressed a specific myth, demonstrating how these beliefs are false, distorted, or unsupported by evidence. The PDF summarizes the myths. Audios are no longer available.
The Lewis Powell Memo, written by Lewis Powell in 1971 before he became a Supreme Court Justice. Powell was nominated by Richard Nixon and he wrote a confidential document advising the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on how to protect and promote free-market capitalism against perceived threats from political and social movements. Powell was nominated by Richard Nixon.
Powell Memo Blueprint: Impact on Schools and Education - includes additional readings as to the policy memo’s impact on higher education
Op-Eds; Periodicals; News Briefs (organized chronologically)
Trump is bombarding the Ivy League. This college just hired a staunch ally as its top lawyer.March 19, 2025, Myah Ward and Irie Sentner. Politico
Trump administration freezes $175 million in federal funding to Penn, May 19, 2025 Valeri Guevarra and Alex Dash
‘I could be next’: international students at Columbia University feel ‘targeted’ after Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest,, May 19, 2025 Jazzmin Jiwa
Georgetown Postdoc the Latest to Be Detained by ICE as Crackdown on Campus Speech Widens March 19, 2025. ARCHIT AND MURTAZA HUSSAIN
Ohio House Republicans pass higher education overhaul to ban diversity efforts and faculty strikes, March 19, 2025, Megan Henry
Palestinian Columbia student activist speaks out about his arrest March 18, Nadine Yousif BBC
Brown University Tells International Students, Staff to Avoid Travel Abroad A professor at the school was deported when trying to re-enter the U.S. after a trip to Lebanon, March 17, 2025, Jennifer Levitz and Joseph Pisani
Brown University professor deported despite judge’s order, defying US court, March 17, 2025, Lauren Aratani
The Justice Department is investigating whether Columbia University hid students sought by the US, March 15, 2025, LARRY NEUMEISTER AND JAKE OFFENHARTZ
Over 50 universities are under investigation as part of Trump's anti-DEI crackdown, March 14. 2025, Juliana Kim
Rogers: Universities need courage in the age of American authoritarianism, March 13, 2025, Melvin Rogers, Brown Daily Herald
A wide coalition unites to ‘Shred SB1’ at Ohio State University March 4, 2025, Andy Downing
Ohio State ends DEI, closes two offices, eliminates 16 staffers in response to Trump. Feb 27, 2025 Sheridan Hendrix
Judge calls Trump order ‘arbitrary,’ restores $19 million in HBCU scholarships. Feb 25, 2025, Willesha Morris
Federal Court Orders Department of Education and Office of Personnel Management to Stop Sharing Private Data with DOGE Affiliates Andrew Cook, Feb 24, 2025
Standing Up to the New Segregationists Subini Annamma and Dave Stovall, Feb 24, 2025
Graduate student admissions temporarily paused as university monitors federal funding Tamyra Johnson and Brina Ratangee, Feb 15, 2025
NIH funding cuts could have ‘crushing effect’ on Colorado’s health care, research, and economy Jason Gonzalez February 13, 2025
FIU students and faculty stage walkout in protest of new interim president Jeanette Nuñez, UPDATED FEBRUARY 13, 2025, BY CLARA-SOPHIA DALY
Stunned Education Researchers Say Cuts Go Beyond DEI, Hitting Math, Literacy (Feb 13, 2025, Greg Toppo, The 74
A University’s Top Lawyer Is Behind a Bill to Weaken Tenure. The University Had No Idea. February 11, 2025, Maya Stahl
27% Of National Science Foundation Grants Went To DEI Projects, Study Finds Feb 10, 2025 Luke Rosiak
DEI Grants from the National Science Foundation Source: Senate Commerce Committee
Trump’s DEI order leaves academic researchers fearful of political influence over grants February 8, 2025 AP News
Scientific institutions have a long history of anticipatory obedience OpEd by Phillip Ball, February 7, 2025 Chemistry World
Education Department Cancels $15 Million in Grants for DEI Programs at Three Universities Aaron Sibarium, February 7, 2025 Free Beacon
A fourth federal agency locks its doors to Democratic lawmakers by Andrew Solender, February 7, 2025 Axios
“Back to the States” Trump’s Department of Education plans go against our country’s long history of federal support for schools Derick Black, February 6, 2025
FIU to name Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez interim university president on Friday February 5, 2025, The Miami Herald
West Point disbands student clubs related to gender and race: The National Society of Black Engineers and Latin Cultural Club (February 5, 2025) were among them.. By MaryAlice Parks, Chris Boccia, and Julia Reinstein
‘Enough’: Campus Diversity Advocates Sue Over Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders February 4, 2025, Katherine Mangan, Chronicle of Higher Ed
Trump admin opens investigations into alleged antisemitism at 5 universities, including Columbia, Collin Binkley February 4, 2025
Ed.gov news press https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-probes-cases-of-antisemitism-five-universities
Exclusive: how NSF is scouring research grants for violations of Trump’s orders, February 3, 2025, Dan Garisto and Max Kozlov, Nature
Higher Education Officials, Restaurant Workers, City of Baltimore Challenge Trump Administration’s Violation of Free Speech Protections, Separation of Powers In Suit to Block Anti-DEIA Executive Orders February 3, 2025, Democracy Forward
The Resegregation Orders (Tell the Stories), February 1, 2025, Jessica Marie Johnson
The Conservative Threat to Race-Based Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions January 30, 2025, Katherine Mangan and J. Brian Charles, Chronicle of Higher Ed
“DEI Did It” Op Ed by James Peterson, January 31, 2025, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
“Trump’s executive orders shift higher education landscape” American Council on Education January 27, 2025
“Trump’s Executive Orders Rolling Back DEI and Accessibility Efforts, Explained” ReNika Moore, January 24, 2025, ACLU
Salient quote: “At a minimum, schools are required to comply with federal and state civil rights laws that ensure educational opportunities are provided on an equal basis. This means reviewing policies and practices to ensure they don’t unnecessarily limit opportunities based on race or other protected characteristics. Schools must also work to foster a climate where all students can access and thrive in their educational pursuits. Now, more than ever, educational institutions must resist intimidation and reaffirm their commitment to identifying and removing barriers to equal opportunity.
Opinion: What MLK Jr. actually said and why it matters for DEI (January 24, 2024) by Eric Bybee, Deseret News
“As Trump Targets Universities, Schools Plan a Counteroffensive” Stephanie Saul and Alan Blinder, January 29, 2025, New York Times
Salient quote: “Even as universities muster defenses, no consensus has emerged among them about how best to approach the second iteration of Mr. Trump’s Washington.”
“The New College Gambit” The right-wing takeover of Florida’s public honors college blurs the line between tragedy and farce, but attacks on universities are about to get worse. Feature Investigation by Kathryn Joyce, December 9, 2024, In These Times
“ACLU of Mass. urges higher ed institutions to expand free speech protections”
Hanah Loss, January 14, 2025, ACLU of Massachusetts
“Symposium on Academic Freedom and Attacks on Education as a Public Good” January 11, 2025, CAFA
News articles about DEI and censorship in Ohio
Sponsor of controversial higher ed bill doesn’t want to discuss it with Ohio House Speaker, June 27, 2024, Ohio Capital Journal
Similar bill, SB 1, introduced again by Sen, Cirino (SB1) Jan. 28, 2025 https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=24444
SENATE BILL 83’S FOUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS, AN ACLU OF OHIO PERSPECTIVE, April 13, 2023, ACLU Ohio
News articles about censorship in Texas.
“Monopoly Tycoons in a Game of Jenga: The Censorship of Bodies, Protest, and Speech at UT-Austin." by Angela Valenuzuela (December 20, 2024) Texas Observer
USC Race and Equity Center Report Examines Campus Racial Climate in Texas Amid Anti-DEI Legislation(Decemeber 11, 2024)
Report Under Siege: Campus Racial Climates in Texas Higher Ed
UNT faculty criticize university decision to remove race, equity references from over 200 course (November 21, 2024)
UNT faculty slam university for removing references to race and equity in course names (November 19, 2024)
Billionaires back new ‘anti-woke’ university in Texas with $200M in funding as disgust over campus protests grows (October 14, 2024) New York Post
APS Partners with Scientific Societies to Fight Federal Anti-DEI Legislation Tawanda Johnson APS News
New Cruz Investigation Reveals How Biden-Harris Diverted Billions from Scientific Research to DEI Activists October 9, 2024, US Senate Committee Press Release spearheaded by Ted Cruz
Report: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/4BD2D522-2092-4246-91A5-58EEF99750BC
“Manufacturing Backlash” Op-Ed by Isaac Kamola, June 5, 2024
Salient quote: “These sensationalized and over-the-top attacks on higher education and academic freedom have meant that me and my colleagues—those of us who teach our students an unvarnished version of American history, who celebrate a plurality of ways of valuing each other and our identities, and who demand massive collective action to address looming crises—are increasingly treated as enemies.”
“Project 2025 Would Radically Overhaul Higher Ed. Here’s How.” Katherine Knott, July 11, 2024, Inside Higher Ed
Salient quote: “The sweeping conservative blueprint for a second Trump administration would dismantle the Education Department, privatize student loans and end all ongoing Title IX investigations. Critics say it’s a road map to authoritarianism.
“Don’t Defund Major Research Associations For Addressing Racism And DEI” April 16, 2024 Shaun Harper, Forbes
Response to calls for public funding to end public funding to AERA
Coalition of 20 Groups Press Lawmakers to Reject Florida Teacher Training Bill February 28, 2024, Pen America
Educational censorship in Florida has gone too far, and DeSantis knows it |Opinion, Op-ED KATIE BLANKENSHIP, The Miami Herald
SB 1372 Censorship Adults in Teacher Training Programs ACLU - Florida
Congressman Steny Hoyer Addresses HBCU Bomb Threats, David Thompson, Bowie State, February 21, 2024
Suspect Identified in Bomb Threats Against HBCUs, Sara Weissman, November 16, 2022 Inside Higher Ed
News articles about harassment of faculty at Brigham Young University, Utah
Professors are Facing Targeted Harassment on College Campuses (March 29, 2022) linked audio interview Melissa Harris Perry and Eryc Bybee)
‘Campus Reform’ and a Clash Over an Assignment on Whiteness at BYU (March 28, 2022)
More Than a Dozen HBCUs Faced Bomb Threats on First Day of Black History Month
Historically Black Colleges and Universities have faced dozens of similar threats over the past month. Chris Walker, February 1, 2022 , TRUTHOUT
News articles about the censoring of a faculty member at the University of Florida and his attempts to assert academic freedom. He no longer works at the institution.
“New College of Florida Takeover Timeline”
“The New College Gambit” The right-wing takeover of Florida’s public honors college blurs the line between tragedy and farce, but attacks on universities are about to get worse. December 9, 2024
“He Accused the University of Florida of Violating His Academic Freedom. The Provost Disagrees.” May 2, 2022
“Florida’s ‘anti-woke’ bills raise concerns for scholars who teach about race,” February 2, 2022
“Professor Alleges Academic Freedom Violation After U of Florida Bars Critical Race Curriculum.” December 3, 2021
“At UF, someone used ‘critical’ and ‘race’ in a sentence. Trouble ensued.” November 20, 2021
“An Ivory Tower of our Own” by Frederick M. Hess and Brendan Ball, Winter 2019
Two representatives of the American Enterprise Institute think tank lament how “conservative thinking” is of the minority in colleges and universities; they are arguing for the need to create higher education structures of their own. Ironically, FM Hess is renowned for creating a ranked list of top 200 edu-scholars and policy influences, many of which are engaged in the type of scholarship this article critiques. Hess and colleagues have also been making calls for public funding to end for professional organizations like the American Education Research Association.
“Diversity is a Dangerous Set Up” by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein January, 24, 2018
Prescod-Weinstein argues that the current frameworks for addressing racism, particularly through diversity and inclusion initiatives, are fundamentally flawed. It critiques the over-reliance on scientific and psychological approaches, such as implicit bias research, which often reduce racism to individual prejudices rather than systemic power dynamics. Prescod-Weinstein suggests that these methods can be superficial, offering a sense of progress without challenging the deeper structures of oppression that maintain racial hierarchies. The piece also examines how diversity efforts can serve as a form of “recreational anti-racism,” where institutions and individuals engage in performative actions that make them appear progressive while avoiding meaningful change. By focusing on metrics like representation and bias reduction, these initiatives may inadvertently reinforce the very power structures they claim to dismantle, offering marginalized groups token inclusion without addressing the root causes of inequality.
What UVA did wrong when white supremacists came to campus Op-Ed Shaun R. Harper and Charles H.F. Davis III, August 17, 2017, LA Times
Webinars and Recorded Conference Sessions (in chronological order)
Executive Disorder: Resisting the War on Equal Opportunity (Febraury 27, 2025), African American Policy Forum https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksLDy8wHXy4
Higher Ed Labor United, webinar and call to action (February 13, 2025) Fund Don't Freeze: National Higher Education Strategy Call
Day of action https://www.labor4highered.org/
National Urban League (Jan 22 2025) - Demand Diversity: Emergency Session on DEI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1e-ykXdu9Q
The Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to promote and advance the social and behavioral sciences in federal policymaking
On January 30, 2025 COSSA offered the following webinar - 119th Congress & Trump 2.0: What Does it Mean for Us?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpjjKmc4YMg&list=PLWYbwWx66V6NfSNFlTwf9081FEPZpw_dX
On December 5, 2025 COSSA Staff hosted a webinar focused on the results of the 2024 national elections and their implications for the social and behavioral sciences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VjsdgHMhRw
https://cossa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Post-Election-Town-Hall-Slides.pdf
Fellows in the Field | Law-Based Threats to Academic Freedom and Racial Inclusion University of California (September 7, 2024)
As legislative efforts continue, faculty, administrators, and external organizations (e.g., AAUP, Pen America) must build coalitions and work together to combat these law-based threats. Center Fellow Jackie Pedota, Doctoral Candidate at the University of Texas at Austin, will be joined by Dr. Liliana Garces, Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Texas at Austin, to discuss possible actions administrators and faculty can take to uphold both academic freedom and racial inclusion
AltLiberalArts (January 4, 2024 is most recent posted webinar; past exist on link)
“AltLiberalArts is a nonprofit education initiative offering alternative and online learning platforms to fill the gaps created by bans, censorship and threats that result in self-censorship in college and early college studies in the United States.”
Struggles for the Soul of Higher Education - lecture series
The UMass Amherst History Department Presents the 2024-2025 Feinberg Serie
https://websites.umass.edu/feinberg/
Comparative International Education Society Conference - The Power of Protest ( March
12, 2024)
Teacher protest tries to call international attention to Florida education politics and New College features prominently (March 1, 2024)
Television Coverage of Protests Organized Around the Conference Theme:
WPLG Protestors in Miami call for freedom in education (March 10, 2024)
WFOR
Teachers hold march for education
Facebook live of conference panel - “ The Politics of Hate: Organizing Against Racism and for Justice in Florida”
.https://www.facebook.com/TeamBlackBrown/videos/1110510700181337/?vh=e&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=XXToF9pRtxVs78AJ
"The Politics of Hate: Organizing Against Racism and for Educational Justice in Florida," moderated by Dr. Mildred Boveda at CIES\
Scholars at Risk Network - YouTube Channel of Scholars at Risk, an international network of institutions and individuals whose mission it is to protect scholars and promote academic freedom.
Coalition for Academic Freedom in the Americas
Attacks on academic freedom in the US & lessons learned from Orbán's Hungary April 26, 2023
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, HBCUs: A History of Racial Terrorism
Panel discussing contemporary and historic violence and threats to Black students and HBCUs (2022)
https://www.facebook.com/bhamcivilrights/videos/1221766981685261
APA Division 15 Webinar (August 22, 2021) - Equity Pedagogy: Creating Classrooms Where All Children Thrive With Dr. Francesca Lopez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-YZhEpGFiE
(Slides) – https://apadiv15.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/APADIV15_Equity-compressed.pdf
National Conservatism Conference II (November 10, 2021) - “Universities are the Enemy”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FR65Cifnhw&t=940s
A speech in which the then congressman, current U.S. Vice President JD Vance quotes Richard Nixon to indicate that “Professors are the enemy.” He explains why universities must be “honestly and aggressively attacked.” He presents several unsubstantiated statements about what US k-12 teachers and faculty are teaching students and uses alleged statements to justify the positioning of professors and universities as enemies of the nation.
Upcoming Webinars and Conferences
From Land Grab to Native Sovereignty - Indigenous Futures at Land grant universities. Feb 13, 2025, 4pm
Big Ideas: Committing to Educational Equity During Turbulent Times Feb 18, 6pm
Urban Conference Traveling Together: The Many Paths of Community Engaged Research April 3-6, 2025
Public Data Sets
Data Rescue Project
CDC datasets uploaded before January 28th, 2025 - Internet Archive
https://archive.org/details/20250128-cdc-datasets#reviews
“Preserving Public U.S. Federal Data” federal data sets are being disappeared. This group is working to preserve them. https://lil.law.harvard.edu/blog/2025/01/30/preserving-public-u-s-federal-data/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3-cqZgUbD3S3vmlNljUVwBAgE8DDeYa67XO_HB-2bL76XHvkTbsZglQsA_aem_goG6wdLtgA1ArD7KDRM8jg
Professional Organization, Foundations - Related Statements of (In)Actions
National DEI Defense Coalition
March 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpulrPs2f8E&t=1s
UCLA Civil Rights Project Statement on Trump-Musk Initiatives to Force Illegitimate Reversals of Long-Established Civil Rights Policies Feb 26, 2025
NADOHE response to DOE 'Dear Colleague' letter February 17, 2025
A note from Spencer Foundation President Na'ilah Nasir February 12, 2025
AERA and COPAFS Statement on the New Administration’s Sudden Termination of National Center for Education Statistics Contracts American Ed February 10, 2025
American Education Research Association (AERA)
Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS)
National center for learning disabilities NCLD UPDATES | FEBRUARY 7, 2025 Rooted in Mission, United for the Future
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA President Charlie Baker issues statement regarding Trump administration executive order February 5, 2025
National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education;
NADOHE joins as lead plaintiff in a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration (February 3, 2025)
American Society for Microbiology
Removal of DEI content from a microbiology group’s website shows reach of Trump executive orders
American Society for Microbiology’s actions anger its members (Feb 3, 2025)
American Association of Physicists in Medicine’]
Video presidential message https://vimeo.com/1053066540 (Feb 3, 2025)
Association of American Universities (January 27, 2025)
Against Anticipatory Obedience AAUP (January 2025)
Committee of Education Funding (December 2024)
American Federation of Teachers (December 10, 2024)
“Preparing for 2025: A look at higher ed in a second Trump term”
American Historical Association (January 17, 2025) overruled the passing of a resolution, despite members voting for it against scholasticide.
“Resolution to Oppose Scholasticide in Gaza”
News report of resolution (Demoncracy Now, January 6, 2025): American Historical Assoc. Votes Overwhelmingly for Resolution to Oppose Scholasticide in Gaza
Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA)
Faculty First Responders - Understanding Right Wing Attacks on Faculty
Resources for Higher Education Workers (best practices)
Professors Are Not the Enemy. Fascists Are: A statement from AAUP President Todd Wolfson August 8, 2024
How faculty contend with threats to academic freedom and racial inclusion. UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. 2023 Jacqueline Pedota
Scholars at Risk Network - Scholars at Risk is an international network of institutions and individuals whose mission it is to protect scholars and promote academic freedom.
Free to Think Report of the Scholars at Risk Academic Freedom Monitoring Project
Additional Readings
Books:
Native Presence and Sovereignty in College: Sustaining Indigenous Weapons to Defeat Systemic Monsters
Teaching to Transgress
Prequel an American fight against fascism
Let This Radicalize You
Yo'mama's disfunktional!: Fighting the culture wars in urban America
On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century
Not Paved for Us: Black Educators and Public School Reform in Philadelphia
Wellness-Centered books
The Quaking of America
The Body Keeps Score
A Boss Chick's Guide To Mindfulness Meditation: A Workbook for Black Women
Reclaim Yourself: The Homecoming Workbook
Peer Review Articles
Locus of Struggle: The African Campus and Contemporary Protest Forms
Higher education in dark times: from the democratic renewal of Brazilian universities to its current wreck
Blogs/Vlogs/Podcasts
Identifying your "ministries"/Getting clarity about 2025
Winning the Peace: Confronting the Attacks on Education with Awareness, Determination, and Intentionality
Mildred Boveda is one of the facilitators of this evolving list.
Novo Collegian Alliance has an up to date blog
“The Novo Collegian Alliance was formed to build off the amazing advocacy rallying around the Save New College movement, and to fill the need for a legally incorporated organization to sustain the fight over the long-term.”
Educational Equity, Politics & Policy in Texas by Dr. Angela Valenzuela, UT-Austin
Academic freedom and fascism: A new book on the Italian professors who said NO in 1931
Fascism: What it is and how to fight it
Law Race and Decolonisation
Clip: Culture War, CRT, and Ethnic Studies
How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days: He used the constitution to shatter the constitution.
DiveIn: A Podcast about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Special Education
Decolonizing Science Reading List
Beyond Neoliberal Multiculturalism
Relevant news
Records show how DOGE planned Trump’s DEI purge — and who gets fired next
The Not-Quite-Anti-Woke Caucus Democratic members of Congress are fed up with their party’s discourse on identity, but they can’t get on board with Donald Trump’s campaign to destroy D.E.I. February 4, 2025
We Choose to fight: US Senate in -state office visit toolkit
Relevant Interviews
Cornel West on Donald Trump: This is What Neo-Fascism Looks Like
A Talk with Marc Lamont Hill: Palestine, Scholasticide, and the Responsibility of Educators
CRT is a lens by which to examine the persistence of racism in our society
Social Media/Technological Precautions
Delete Me
Infosec 101 for Activists
Legal Council
EducationalCounsel
Take Action:
Connecting to U.S. Policy Makers
Tell Your Senator: Stop the Next Funding Freeze: Indivisible.org
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Republicans: MoveOn
Visit State Senate Offices
Mobilizing & Organizing around an issue
Making an Activism/Organizing Plan
“Organize Your Constituents” - Gen Z Congressman BEGS Dems to Wake Up and Fight | Native Land Pod
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
Maya Angelou
“Don't tell no lies about me, and I won't tell truths about you"
Kendrick Lamar
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