Latest news with #AmericanAssociationofUniversityProfessors
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
As Harvard fights Trump admin in court, professors are quietly dropping courses
Jules Riegel, a lecturer in History and Literature, planned to teach a course in the fall at Harvard University on global transgender history. Now they are opting out of teaching the course due to fears of content-based retaliation and fears for their students' safety and as an openly transgender individual, according to a Monday court filing. 'I have had to reevaluate how I can safely teach courses on topics including global transgender history, World War II and the Holocaust,' Riegel said. Riegels' decision comes at a time when Harvard University says it is fighting in federal court to protect its academic freedom, aiming to push back billions of dollars in funding cuts executed by the federal government. The Harvard faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors is also suing the federal government in a separate lawsuit. Riegel's commentary is included in court documents on the case. Both Harvard and the association submitted motions for summary judgment on Monday. As a non-tenure-track faculty member, Riegel said they are worried the Trump administration's goal of 'reducing the power held by students and untenured faculty,' as stated in an April 11 letter. They are concerned about having 'even less control around my curriculum, such as hindering my ability to determine my own course content, or being forced to teach content with which I disagree,' they said. 'I am fearful for the safety of my students, especially international students or students with immigrant backgrounds, including their ability to engage with critical scholarship around the Holocaust and transgender history,' Riegel said. 'Because of the administration's actions, I could not in good conscience recommend that doctoral applicants attend Harvard right now,' they said. Riegel isn't alone in altering course plans. Read more: Harvard foreign students feel like 'poker chips,' consider transfer after Trump attacks An anonymous faculty member in the court filing also changed their teaching plans for next semester due to fears of harassment. The professor, a member of the faculty of arts and sciences, planned to teach a course addressing the lead-up to the U.S. Civil War, according to a court filing from Harvard professor Kirsten Weld. However, they felt like the topic would be considered a part of diversity, equity and inclusion programing due to its focus on slavery, settler colonialism, Indian removal and the U.S.-Mexico War. The professor was concerned that they would face false accusations under Title VI — which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin — since the course would explore white supremacy in American history. They were also nervous that, because they had already experienced public targeting and harassment at Harvard due to being in support of pro-Palestine student protesters, greater emphasis could fall on them. For other Harvard professors, canceling courses isn't an option. One anonymous faculty member, who has been working at the medical school and has decades of clinical expertise, said they will be working outside of the U.S. next year and plan to eventually leave the country 'because they do not feel comfortable being at Harvard anymore.' The faculty member said their pro-Palestine advocacy and opinions make them a target at Harvard, according to the court filing. Harvard researchers are also being discouraged from publishing in scholarly and public-facing materials on topics opposed by the federal government, according to Weld's court filing. Since the attacks against Harvard, the American Association of University Professors has had to prioritize training on digital surveillance and information security and a Know Your Rights workshop, using up valuable resources for the organization. They also have had to hold twice as many meetings with members as they typically do to help navigate the Trump administration's actions, according to the court filing. Clark University to lay off up to 30% of faculty amid enrollment woes 'Incredibly ironic': Trump antisemitism effort may force out Harvard's Israeli Jews MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech from commencement Why the fight over foreign students at Harvard has some US students leaving, too Harvard affinity group graduations held off campus amid 'capitulation' to Trump Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas bill changing control of higher ed curriculum goes to governor's desk
The Texas legislature passed a bill on Monday that would give state boards appointed by the governor more power over universities' curriculum, sending the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) desk. Governing boards at higher education institutions, which are appointed by the governor, will be able to review and strike down general curriculum requirements at the universities. The new legislation also gives these boards more power over hiring, elimination of degrees with low enrollment and creates a new oversight office for noncompliance complaints. The bill, which will likely be signed by the governor, is the latest effort among Republican states to control curriculum and other aspects of higher education institutions. 'The objective of this legislation is to provide consistency with respect to our curriculum and the degrees we're offering our students,' said Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, co-sponsor of the legislation, the Associated Press reported. In places like Florida, it has become common place for similar boards to strip requirements for gender or diversity courses and replace it with civics classes. The move comes as the Trump administration has also been exerting more pressure on universities, stripping them of funding if demands such as eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion aren't met. 'Political operatives have basically used their positions of power — political power, economic power — to demand that the institutions conform to their ideas,' said Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors, according to the AP. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
14 hours ago
- General
- The Hill
Texas bill changing control of higher ed curriculum goes to governor's desk
The Texas legislature passed a bill on Monday that would give state boards appointed by the governor more power over universities' curriculum, sending the legislation to Gov. Greg Abbott's (R) desk. Governing boards at higher education institutions, which are appointed by the governor, will be able to review and strike down general curriculum requirements at the universities. The new legislation also gives these boards more power over hiring, elimination of degrees with low enrollment and creates a new oversight office for noncompliance complaints. The bill, which will likely be signed by the governor, is the latest effort among Republican states to control curriculum and other aspects of higher education institutions. 'The objective of this legislation is to provide consistency with respect to our curriculum and the degrees we're offering our students,' said Republican state Rep. Matt Shaheen, co-sponsor of the legislation, the Associated Press reported. In places like Florida, it has become common place for similar boards to strip requirements for gender or diversity courses and replace it with civics classes. The move comes as the Trump administration has also been exerting more pressure on universities, stripping them of funding if demands such as eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion aren't met. 'Political operatives have basically used their positions of power — political power, economic power — to demand that the institutions conform to their ideas,' said Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors, according to the AP.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Texas set to join GOP states tightening grip on university curriculum
The gubernatorially appointed boards that oversee Texas universities soon could have new powers to control the curriculum required of students and eliminate degree programs. The legislation sent Monday to Texas Governor Greg Abbott marks the latest effort among Republican-led states to reshape higher education institutions that they assert have been promoting liberal ideology. It follows similar moves in Florida and Ohio. The state actions come as President Donald Trump's administration also has injected itself into higher education, leveraging federal funding and its student visa authority to clamp down on campus activism and stamp out diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Some professors contend the moves violate the principles of academic freedom that many universities have followed for decades. "Political operatives have basically used their positions of power political power, economic power to demand that the institutions conform to their ideas," said Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors. "It's an existential attack on higher education that we're facing," added Kamola, a political science professor at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. A Texas effort to shape general education requirements Under the Texas legislation, governing boards at higher education institutions will be tasked with reviewing and potentially overturning general education curriculum requirements to ensure courses are necessary to prepare students for civic and professional life, equip them for the workforce and are worth the cost to students. Governing boards also will gain greater power over faculty councils, the employment of academic administrators and decisions to eliminate minor degree or certificate programs that have low enrollment. The bill also creates a state ombudsman's office to investigate complaints against institutions, including alleged violations of restrictions against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. "The objective of this legislation is to provide consistency with respect to our curriculum and the degrees we're offering our students," Republican state Rep Matt Shaheen, co-sponsor of the legislation, said during House floor debate. Ray Bonilla, an attorney for the Texas A&M University System, one of the state's largest higher education institutions, said the legislation formalises decisions already being made at the university and wouldn't create an "undue workload." But Democratic state Rep Donna Howard said during a May committee hearing that the legislation "appears to be extreme micromanagement on the part of the Legislature." "The bill is not about improving education, it is about increasing control," Howard said during the debate. An Ohio law mandates specific curriculum In Ohio, a new law bans DEI programs at public colleges and universities, strips faculty of certain collective bargaining and tenure protections and mandates a civil literacy course in order to graduate. In addition to covering the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, the three-credit-hour course must include at least five essays from the Federalist Papers, the "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr and a study of the principles of Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations," among other things. The law also places restrictions on the handling of "controversial beliefs or policies," defined to include climate, immigration or foreign policy, electoral politics, DEI programs, marriage and abortion. While testifying for his bill, Republican state Sen Jerry Cirino cited John Dewey -- one of the fathers of progressive education -- to condemn what he believes to be a hard tack in the other direction at colleges and universities. "He believed that all theories should be examined and debated," Cirino told fellow lawmakers. "He would certainly have been against the woke conformity we see on so many campuses and the clearly demonstrated liberal leanings of faculty and staff who will not tolerate alternative views." Christopher McKnight Nichols, an Ohio State University history professor, said the law has already driven some faculty members to sanitise their websites of "controversial" content, alter course descriptions and, in some cases, cancel courses altogether. He said it's never been proven that faculty members are systematically punishing students who don't share their political beliefs. Nichols is among a coalition of Ohio educators, students and administrators fighting back against the new law. Opponents face a late June deadline to collect enough signatures to place a referendum overturning it on the November ballot. A movement with roots in a Trump order and Florida In some ways, the efforts to exert greater state control over college faculty and curriculums are moving higher education closer to a governing model generally seen in K-12 education, said Alec Thomson, president of the National Council for Higher Education at the National Education Association. "It's a concerning change in the sense that you would expect the institutions to have a fair amount of autonomy to make these decisions about curriculum," added Thomson, a professor of political science and history at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan. During his first term in 2020, Trump issued an executive order "combating race and sex stereotyping" in federal agencies and contracting that forbid the promotion of "divisive concepts," including that one race or sex is "inherently superior" to another, that individuals should feel guilty because of their race or sex and that merit-based systems are racist or sexist. Similar prohibitions on divisive concepts soon appeared in model bills backed by conservative think tanks and in state higher education laws, including in Florida in 2022. The next year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis initiated a makeover of the New College of Florida a small liberal arts school once known as the state's most progressive by appointing a group of conservatives to its governing board. DeSantis then travelled to the campus to sign a law barring public funds from going to DEI activities in higher education or promoting political or social activism. Governors and lawmakers this year have taken about twice as many actions targeting DEI initiatives as last year, according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill-tracking software Plural. Among those is a new Idaho law that not only bans DEI offices and programs in higher education but also addresses what's taught in the classroom. It prohibits colleges and universities from requiring students to take DEI-related courses to meet graduation requirements, unless they're pursuing degrees in race or gender studies.
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Texas is poised to become the latest GOP state to exert control over university curriculum
Some professors contend the moves violate the principles of academic freedom that many universities have followed for decades. 'Political operatives have basically used their positions of power — political power, economic power — to demand that the institutions conform to their ideas,' said Isaac Kamola, director of the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom at the American Association of University Professors. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's an existential attack on higher education that we're facing,' added Kamola, a political science professor at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. Advertisement Under Governing boards also will gain greater power over faculty councils, the employment of academic administrators, and decisions to eliminate minor degree or certificate programs that have low enrollment. The bill also creates a state ombudsman's office to investigate complaints against institutions, including alleged violations of restrictions against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Advertisement 'The objective of this legislation is to provide consistency with respect to our curriculum and the degrees we're offering our students,' Republican state Representative Matt Shaheen, cosponsor of the legislation, said during House floor debate. Ray Bonilla, an attorney for the Texas A&M University System, one of the state's largest higher education institutions, said the legislation formalizes decisions already being made at the university and wouldn't create an 'undue workload.' But Democratic state Representative Donna Howard said during a May committee hearing that the legislation 'appears to be extreme micromanagement on the part of the Legislature.' 'The bill is not about improving education, it is about increasing control,' Howard said during the debate. In Ohio, The law also places restrictions on the handling of 'controversial beliefs or policies,' defined to include climate, immigration or foreign policy, electoral politics, DEI programs, marriage, and abortion. While testifying for his bill, Republican state Senator Jerry Cirino of Ohio, cited John Dewey — one of the fathers of progressive education — to condemn what he believes to be a hard tack in the other direction at colleges and universities. Advertisement 'He believed that all theories should be examined and debated,' Cirino told fellow lawmakers. 'He would certainly have been against the woke conformity we see on so many campuses and the clearly demonstrated liberal leanings of faculty and staff who will not tolerate alternative views.' Christopher McKnight Nichols, an Ohio State University history professor, said the law has already driven some faculty members to sanitize their websites of 'controversial' content, alter course descriptions, and, in some cases, cancel courses altogether. He said it's never been proven that faculty members are systematically punishing students who don't share their political beliefs. Nichols is among a coalition of Ohio educators, students, and administrators fighting back against the new law. Opponents face a late June deadline to collect enough signatures to place a referendum overturning it on the November ballot. In some ways, the efforts to exert greater state control over college faculty and curriculums are moving higher education closer to a governing model generally seen in K-12 education, said Alec Thomson, president of the National Council for Higher Education at the National Education Association. 'It's a concerning change in the sense that you would expect the institutions to have a fair amount of autonomy to make these decisions about curriculum,' added Thomson, a professor of political science and history at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Mich. During his first term in 2020, Trump Advertisement Similar prohibitions on divisive concepts soon appeared in model bills backed by conservative think tanks and in state higher education laws, including in Florida in 2022. The next year, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis initiated a makeover of Governors and lawmakers this year have taken about twice as many Among those is a new Idaho law that not only bans DEI offices and programs in higher education, but also addresses what's taught in the classroom. It prohibits colleges and universities from requiring students to take DEI-related courses to meet graduation requirements, unless they're pursuing degrees in race or gender studies.
