Northwestern University faculty and students plan rally against Trump's attacks on higher education
Faculty and students at Northwestern University are joining colleges across the country on Thursday in a day of action, set to rally against the Trump administration's recent attacks on higher education.
The afternoon rally in Evanston by Northwestern faculty will call on the university's president and board of trustees to defend their students, staff, and instructors.
The Trump administration has frozen $790 million in federal funds to Northwestern for what it calls alleged civil rights violations.
Northwestern faculty members aren't the only ones speaking out.
Peter Cummings, a PhD student and the chief steward of the Northwestern University Graduate Workers, UE Local 1122, said they are ready to stand together.
"We're really trying to work alongside faculty and other workers and organizations at Northwestern to really meet this moment and stand up for workers against this barrage of illegal executive orders and policy changes from this Trump administration, many of which actively threaten everything that we fight and stand for in higher ed," Cummings said.
Northwestern's graduate workers' union has launched a petition drive asking members to commit to collective action to protect non-citizen workers, preserve STEM research funding, defend transgender rights, and protect a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
"We're really looking forward to standing in solidarity with our faculty, students, and other members of the Northwestern community," Cummings said.
The graduate workers plan to speak at Thursday's faculty rally at 4 p.m. on the university's Evanston campus.
A similar rally also is planned for Thursday at Harvard University.
The rally comes after the Trump administration froze $2.2 billion in federal funding for Harvard, and President Trump threatened to revoke the school's tax-exempt status.
If Harvard loses its status as a non-profit institution, it would be forced to pay federal income taxes.
The institution is pushing back, citing the constitutional right of private universities to determine their own practices. Education Secretary Linda McMahon suggested the administration might not stop at Harvard.
In addition to the $2.2 billion funding freeze by the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security is threatening to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students unless it hands over disciplinary records, and has canceled $2.7 billion in grants.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is seeking documentation of any disciplinary action taken against international students at Harvard, including for participating in protests.
