Only one NM college president signs letter opposing ‘unprecedented government overreach'

Yahoo

28-04-2025

Southwestern College President Thom Chesney at the graduate-level school's Santa Fe Southside campus. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM)
Hundreds of leaders at colleges and universities from across the United States recently signed an open letter to the Trump Administration, rebuking 'the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.'
Only one New Mexico higher-education leader signed the letter — from a small college in Santa Fe.
In the first 100 days, the Trump administration has frozen billions of dollars in research grants and threatened further cuts if universities fail to comply with policies to reshape admissions, curriculum and speech on campus. Broadly, the Trump and Republicans have alleged higher education indoctrinates students with left-wing ideologies, and are using federal funds as leverage to require universities to change campus policies.
Last week, Harvard University sued the Trump administration over its freezing of $2.2 billion in grants after the school refused to comply with federal demands to limit activism on campus.
The letter from academics, released last week by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, pushes back against the Trump Administration, penning a defense of higher education.
'We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,' the letter states. 'However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.'
As of Monday morning, the letter had amassed 523 signatures from colleges, universities and scholarly societies.
Leaders from University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University, the state's largest schools, did not sign on.When reached for comment, Cinnamon Blair, a spokesperson for UNM wrote: 'What I can share is that UNM's participation in any statements is an internal administrative decision, and will be reflected in the public record.'
New Mexico State University spokesperson Amanda Bradford confirmed the administration had not signed the letter, stating: 'The university has no further comments on this topic at this time.'
As of press time, Thom Chesney, president of Southwestern College, a private graduate-level school tucked away on Santa Fe's Southside, remains the only New Mexico school leader on the list.
Southwestern College offers a variety of graduate-level programs and certificates, including: master's degrees in counseling, art therapy and consciousness in action; as well as a Ph.D in visionary practice and regenerative leadership.
In an interview with Source NM, Chesney said higher education is facing unprecedented threats at multiple levels. Chesney took the position at Southwestern College eight months ago, following three years as president at Clarke University in Iowa and nearly eight years as president of Brookhaven College in Texas, among other academic postings. He's been in higher education for nearly 30 years and started his work in academia teaching English, American and British literature and the humanities.
'We've not seen this before,' Chesney said. 'The federal government stepping in and making demands about how we admit, who we admit and what we teach — that flies directly in the face of independence, of building a curriculum.'
Chesney told Source NM that this was the right time for his college to speak out, and said other New Mexican institutions are trying to navigate a difficult position.
'I'm going to defend my colleagues, my peers from the public and private institutions in New Mexico, who haven't signed the letter,' Chesney said. 'They're not on the sidelines, they're not silent, in assent or giving in — we can't assume any of that. They are absolutely, I believe, thinking through where their space is, at this time, for this type of response.'
Chesney said the letter he signed offers the chance to be part of 'a collective, unified voice.'
'It fits in with not only the mission of my institution, but also the broader need to respond in a call to action for dialogue, for decorum to come together and recognize we have a shared space, to identify the successes, the flaws — all of that, rather than react reactionarily,' he said.
Chesney noted that all higher education institutions face threats, regardless of size and programs. Southwestern College's enrollment is just over 320 students. While his institution does not receive federal research grants, some of the students rely on Title IV funds to attend college. The college also offers a counseling center at which its counseling and therapy students receive real-world experience and provide low-cost or no-cost services for 500 Santa Fe residents.
'If someone comes in and says 'you can't do that anymore,' that's a threat,' he said. 'That threatens the wellness of Santa Fe's Southside, Santa Fe in general and ultimately New Mexico, in my mind.'
Not only did Chesney sign the letter, he hopes his participation in a national dialogue creates an opportunity for students to become more engaged with faculty and administrators in addressing the future of higher education.
And he has a message for prospective students who are considering further training or schooling: 'Don't become cynical.'
'No one should give up on that dream or that aspiration to do the kind of learning that leads them into opportunities to serve and create and have jobs that are for the greater, common good,' Chesney said.
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