EAST LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Coming out with a full-court press, Michigan State University (MSU) faculty have joined a growing coalition of Big Ten institutions banding together in “defense of academic freedom, institutional integrity, and the research enterprise” against what they perceive as political pressure from the Trump administration. Rutgers University’s faculty senate took the lead last month, passing a resolution urging Big Ten leaders to create a mutual defense compact.
The Academic Alliance strikes back.
According to a report in The State News, MSU’s Faculty Senate, a key academic governance body representing faculty, passed a non-binding resolution last Tuesday advocating for a “Mutual Defense Compact” among the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA).
The alliance.
MORE NEWS: Two Docks, One Owner, and a Federal Lawsuit
In the BTAA, there are 18 universities with thousands of instructors serving over 600,000 students. The BTAA facilitates collaboration among member institutions in areas such as research initiatives, academic leadership development, shared library resources, and joint educational programs.
A preemptive full-court press.
The Big Ten initiative seeks to establish a united front to protect themselves and their students from what faculty members describe as “legal, financial, and political” incursions by the Trump administration.
They say in the resolution that “recent and escalating politically motivated actions by governmental bodies pose a significant threat to the foundational principles of American higher education, including the autonomy of university governance, the integrity of scientific research, and the protection of free speech.”
The proposed compact would involve member institutions committing funds to a shared defense pool. This fund would provide support to any member university facing political or legal challenges, including legal representation, strategic public communication, and legislative advocacy.
The compact’s supporters argue that collective action is necessary to counteract recent federal actions, such as funding freezes and visa revocations, which they view as threats to the autonomy and mission of higher education institutions.
Awaiting administrative action.
While the MSU Faculty Senate has made its position clear, it remains to be seen whether university leadership will act on the resolution. MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant confirmed the resolution’s passage but declined to comment further.
