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A dozen presidents of colleges and universities in Illinois signed a letter along with several other higher education leaders calling out "unprecedented government overreach and political interference" amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on post-secondary institutions.
While the education leaders did not name the Trump administration explicitly, they argued for academic freedom and autonomy over their admissions and education policies.
What we know:
Titled "A Call for Constructive Engagement," the letter was published on Tuesday by the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
"We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. 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."
They also wrote:
"Some institutions are designed for all students, and others are dedicated to serving particular groups. Yet, American institutions of higher learning have in common the essential freedom to determine, on academic grounds, whom to admit and what is taught, how, and by whom. Our colleges and universities share a commitment to serve as centers of open inquiry where, in their pursuit of truth, faculty, students, and staff are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, or deportation."
The presidents of multiple colleges and universities in the Chicago area and around Illinois were among those who signed the letter.
As of Tuesday evening, the signatories included:
- Prairie State College President Michael D. Anthony
- Northern Illinois University President Lisa C. Freeman
- Eastern Illinois University President Jay D. Gatrell
- Elgin Community College President Peggy Heinrich
- Northeastern Illinois University President Katrina Bell Jordan
- Rockford University President Patricia A. Lynott
- Southern Illinois University President Daniel Mahony
- Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney
- Northwestern University President Michael Schill
- Chicago State University President Zaldwaynaka Scott
- Illinois State University President Aondover Tarhule
- Dominican University President Glena Temple
The backstory:
The letter comes as the Trump administration has been suspending or threatening to take away federal funding to several universities around the country if they did not impose sweeping changes to their admissions and academic policies.
Most recently, Harvard University has pushed back against the Trump administration's efforts to cut off about $2 billion federal funding.
RELATED: Harvard says no to Trump demands: What to know about $2B funding freeze
Several international students and recent graduates have seen their visas suspended by the Trump administration at campuses across the country, including in Illinois.
Many of the students have been accused of having ties to protests against Israel's war in Gaza.