Since 2021, PEN America has documented a concerted legislative assault on the independence and intellectual freedom of American higher education classrooms and institutions. These laws seek to undermine free expression on campus, censor what can be taught and read in classrooms, and silence discussion of core issues related to American history and our country’s enduring challenges.

Laws constricting higher education classrooms, curricula, and institutions have gone into effect in seven states, while over 100 additional bills across over 30 states have either been proposed or are currently under consideration. In PEN America’s 2022 report on the rise of educational censorship, “America’s Censored Classrooms,” we found that nearly 40% of all proposed educational gag orders introduced in 2022 targeted colleges and universities.

Galvanized by these legislative threats and united by a shared vision of American higher education as an essential pillar of democracy, over 300 college, university, and system heads are banding together to launch PEN America’s new initiative, “Champions of Higher Education.” Together, these higher education champions will coordinate communications and coalition-building efforts to fight political interference and government overreach on campus. Through writing and speaking engagements in communities where they have influence, and by drawing on their relationships with leaders across key sectors, the former higher education leaders will rally the public to maintain academic independence on our college campuses and reclaim popular recognition of higher education as a democratic and societal good.

Read the Champions of Higher Education Statement of Purpose and the full list of signatories here. The initiative is still recruiting former presidents and system heads to join its ranks; if you are interested in participating, contact Clare Carter at [email protected].

In launching this nonpartisan initiative, PEN America is grateful for the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, and the Henry R. Luce Foundation. The work of the Champions of Higher Education does not reflect the views or positions of these foundations. PEN America is also grateful for the collaboration of Campus Compact in developing this initiative.

editorials by champions of higher education

• “You Can’t Be Denied If You Haven’t Applied” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• No Te Ringas: Please Don’t Give Up on Higher Education (BBN Times) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• War on Antisemitism — or Distraction from Bigotry? (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• Colleges Need to Change. Trump’s Plan Would Only Make Them Worse (Time) by Nicholas B. Dirks, University of California, Berkeley (CA)
• Young People, You Can Do Well and Do Good (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• We must not accept government coercing colleges over content (The San Diego Union Tribune) by George R. Boggs, Palomar College (CA)
• From Nine to Many: Colleges and Universities Beware (BBN Times) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• Trump offering Faustian bargain with universities (Arizona Daily Star) by Pamela A Eibeck, University of the Pacific (CA)
• The Perils of Patronage (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• American Higher Education: A View of the Future (Higher Ed Jobs) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• In College Admissions, Bullies Win (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• Celebrate Constitution Day by Defending our Founding Document (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• University trustees must serve as guardians, (LIHerald) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• The Trust in ‘Trustee’, (Inside Higher Ed) by Kevin P. Reilly, University of Wisconsin System (WI)
• Leadership Beyond the Military: Veterans Transforming Academia, (Higher Ed Military) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• Partisanship Has No Place in College Loans,  (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• University Boards: How They Do (and Don’t) Maintain Independence, (Washington Monthly) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• Uniting Higher Ed To Protect Science, Education — and Democracy, (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• What Our Congressional Delegation Can Learn From Baseball, (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• The Imperatives for Improved Academic Governance, (Higher Ed Jobs) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• Your vote is your voice, (LIHerald) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• Is Trump Targeting Welders Now?, (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• New chapter, preserved mission, (Columbia Spectator) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• Academic freedom in America is in danger, (Financial Times) by Nicholas Dirks, University of California, Berkeley (CA)
• “Prevent Another Threat to American Education” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “American Higher Education: What I Admire, What Causes Me Anguish” (Higher Ed Jobs) by Robert A. Scott, Adelphi University (NY); Ramapo College of New Jersey (NJ)
• “This July 4th, Let’s Stand Up for Philadelphia Values” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “My fellow July 4 revelers — where will you be next year?” (The Boston Globe) by David L. Levinson, Norwalk Community College (CT)
• “The Forced Resignation of UVA’s Remarkable Leader: It Makes Me Sick Literally and Figuratively” (Medium) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• “International students with different ideas improve, not harm, America” (Des Moines Register) by Darrel Colson, Wartburg College (IA)
• “Trump and Harvard draw headlines, but UW is also imperiled by DOGE cuts” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) by Kevin P. Reilly, University of Wisconsin System (WI)
• “The Big Ugly Budget Bill Hurts Students” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “I Might Get Arrested Due to the King’s Parade…” (Medium) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• “International Students Strengthen America” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Doubling Down on a Mistake or, Alternatively, Stepping Down from a Mistake: The Choices Orange Shoe Law Firms Face” (Medium) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• “Embracing diversity, equity, inclusion a must at public universities” (News-Press) by Michael V. Martin, Florida Gulf Coast University (FL); Colorado State University System (CO); Louisiana State University (LA); New Mexico State University (NM)
• “Trump and the far right don’t fight antisemitism. They exploit it.” (The Kansas City Star) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Is this Really Government ‘Efficiency’?” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Trump’s overreach with Harvard is a ‘stunning affront’ to higher education” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) by John Silvanus Wilson, Jr., Morehouse College (GA)
• “Speaking Up and Out in Support of Education for ALL our Students” (Medium) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• “What We Need in a Community College President” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Was the Government Letter to Harvard Sent in Error? My Answer Follows and It Proffers a Different Take” (Medium) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• “Colleges Are Under Siege—Defending Them Is Defending Democracy” (Fulcrum) by Philip A. Glotzbach, Skidmore College (NY)
• “Winners Write the History…” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Hail to the Champions of University Values” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Why Dismantle the US Department of Education? The Answer Should Frighten Us Mightily” (Medium) by Karen Gross, Southern Vermont College (VT)
• “Toward a More Perfect Silence or a More Perfect Union?” (Trusteeship) by John Silvanus Wilson, Jr., Morehouse College (GA)
• “Come Together, Right Now” (Science) by Holden Thorp, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
• “Universities Need to Defend Themselves, Not Remain Neutral” (Chronicle of Higher Ed) by Brian Rosenburg, Macalester College (MN)
• “The Community College Presidents’ Initiative in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” (Community College Leadership) by George R. Boggs, Palomar College (CA)
• “A Direct Hit” (Science) by Holden Thorp, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
• “We’re Under Attack” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “An Opportunity to Reframe the DEI Debate” (Inside Higher Ed) by Marjorie Hass, Austin College (TX); Rhodes College (TN)
• “This Isn’t Policy. It’s Chaos for Colleges.” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Leaders in the Foxhole.” (Inside Higher Ed) by Holden Thorp, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (NC)
• “Lose ‘DEI.’ Keep Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” (The Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Higher Education in a Benighted Age” (Medium) by Marjorie Hass, Austin College (TX); Rhodes College (TN)
• “Opinion: Diversity, equity and inclusion are not dirty words. Why are they being treated as such in higher education?” (San Diego Union-Tribute) by George R. Boggs, Palomar College (CA)
• “A Nation at Risk” (AGB) by David Maxwell, Whitman College (WA); Drake University (IA)
• “Tenure process needs further review” (Inforum) by Larry Isaak, North Dakota University System (ND)
• “US higher education is endangered” (Boston Globe) by Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard University (MA)
• “‘Free and Brave:’ Defending Universities and the Rule of Truth” (Drew Faust) by Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard University (MA)
• “In Defense of DEI: Where are the College & University Presidents?” (Higher Ed Jobs) by George A. Pruitt, Thomas Edison State University (NJ)
• “How Bipartisan Coalitions Can Strengthen Our Educational System” (AFT) by Patricia Okker, New College of Florida (FL)
• “Academic Freedom Must be Protected at New College of Florida” (Sarasota Tribune) by Esther Barazzone, Chatham University (PA)
• “Why Florida’s Public College Presidents Should Resign” (Inside Higher Ed) by Robert Birnbaum, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (WI)
• “Let’s talk, not censor: What colleges and legislators get wrong about free speech” (Baltimore Sun) by José Antonio Bowen, Goucher College (MD).
• “We 7 former Florida college presidents say enough is enough” (Tampa Bay Times) by Wilson G. Bradshaw, John C. Cavanaugh, Charles R. Dassance, Lars A. Hafner, Michael V. Martin, Eduardo Padrón, and Dale Whittaker
• “The Hills on Which We (Used to) Die” (Inside Higher Ed) by John C. Cavanaugh, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PA); University of West Florida (FL)
• “Gag Laws Limit Religious Liberty” (Outreach) by Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
• “How A Campus Interfaith Center Fell to Florida’s Anti-DEI Legislation” (Religion News Service) by Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities
• “Florida Conservatives Abandon Their Small-Government Roots” (Tampa Bay Times) by A. Lee Fritschler, Dickinson College (PA)
• “The Time Is Now” (Inside Higher Education) by R. Barbara Gitenstein, The College of New Jersey (NJ)
• “What the Founding Fathers understood about college education” (The Albany Times Union) by Philip A. Glotzbach, Skidmore College (NY)
• “College censorship, book bans hurt all Americans” (Staten Island Advance) by Richard Guarasci, Wagner College (NY)
• Testimony on HB1446 by Lary Isaak, North Dakota University System (ND)
• “Ban the Ban, Not the Book” (Philadelphia Citizen) by Elaine Maimon, Governors State University (IL)
• “Retired Presidents Join Campaign To Fight Political Interference With College Campuses” (Forbes) by Michael T. Nietzel, Missouri State University (MO)
• “I Was President of Florida’s New College. Then I was Fired.” (Chronicle of Higher Education) by Patricia Okker, New College of Florida (FL)
• “America’s Censored Classrooms” (Sun Sentinel) by Eduardo Padrón, Miami Dade College (FL)
• “From heavy hand of government to speaker shout downs, free speech in peril on campuses” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) by Kevin Reilly, University System of Wisconsin (WI)
• “A Gaggle of Gags (Not the Funny Kind)” (Trusteeship) by Kevin Reilly, University System of Wisconsin (WI)
• “The Fight for Florida’s New College” (Chronicle of Higher Education) by Brian Rosenberg, Macalester College (MN)
• “Colleges and learners should decide, not the government” (VTDigger) by Peter Smith, Community College of Vermont (VT); California State University, Monterey Bay (CA).
• “Politicians are trying to undercut colleges. Despite the consequences, we must speak up.” (USA Today) by David Warren, Ohio Wesleyan University (OH)
• “Universities cannot be bystanders when democracy is imperilled” (Times Higher Education) by John Silvanus Wilson, Morehouse College (GA)