ASU Professor Calls for Unity Among Arizona University Presidents to Safeguard Higher Education Mission

Richard Newhauser, a professor of English at Arizona State University (ASU) and a member of the United Campus Workers of Arizona, CWA Local 7065 since its inception in 2020, is emphasizing the current threats to higher education in the United States. Having joined ASU’s faculty in 2007, Newhauser argues that various federal actions are undermining the foundational principles of university governance.

The assault on higher education manifests through inconsistent visa terminations affecting international students, campus restrictions on free speech, and attacks on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs. These measures indicate a troubling effort by the current federal administration to influence university operations and educational integrity.

Key tenets of American higher education include the right of institutions to manage their admissions processes and curricular content independently, alongside fostering open discourse on campus without fear of retaliation. Recent federal directives, however, threaten to compromise this autonomy, transforming Arizona’s universities into extensions of federal policy.

In response, universities in Arizona are beginning to push back. ASU has joined twelve other institutions in a lawsuit against the National Science Foundation over its imposed limits on indirect research costs. At the University of Arizona, 91% of faculty recently supported a referendum urging their president to resist federal interference in university matters. Ongoing efforts are critical to safeguard the rights of faculty, staff, and students.

University leaders must take an active stance in defending academic freedom. Last week, the United Campus Workers of Arizona sent an open letter to university presidents Michael Crow of ASU, Jose Luis Cruz Rivera of Northern Arizona University, and Suresh Garimella of the University of Arizona, demanding accountability regarding federal overreach. This week, union members delivered this letter in person, urging the presidents to endorse the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ “Call for Constructive Engagement.”

As of April 22, over six hundred university presidents nationwide, including leaders from Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale, have endorsed this call. It aims to collectively resist federal encroachment on institutional autonomy while being open to constructive reforms. The letter underscores the need to oppose excessive governmental intrusion affecting campus life.

Inaction from Arizona’s university presidents is not an option. They are urged to sign the “Call for Constructive Engagement” by May 30 to defend the essential principles underpinning higher education and to uphold their institutions’ roles in contributing to national progress.