Resist Political Control of Higher Education

To President Audrey Bilger and the Trustees of Reed College,

Today, higher education faces a formidable threat from the federal administration. That administration seeks to undermine independent thought and academic freedom. Its threats include the dismantling of DEI, attacks on accreditation, limits to on-campus speech, and financial aid. While major universities are the ones under attack today, it is only a matter of time before the administration will come after colleges such as Reed. 

Higher education is an essential bulwark of our democracy. It must survive these attacks with clear public support; otherwise an irreplaceable element of our society will be lost. Reed College has long had the mission of teaching students to learn and demonstrate rigor and independence in their habits of thought, inquiry, and expression. To provide the environment that will accomplish that, Reed must vigorously defend its independence and values as never before. 

Reed cannot hold its own in isolation. Resistance can best be implemented by a consortium of colleges and universities committed to upholding informed, independent thought and energetically aiding one another in that effort. While attacks may come piecemeal, the response needs to be unified; the administration will only back down when faced with overwhelming opposition. Because of its reputation for academic excellence, standing by its values, and taking principled stands, the actions Reed College takes with its peers will have an impact beyond its size. 

We the undersigned stand with Reed College in defending academic freedom and our democracy. We ask that Reed:

1) Join peer colleges and universities to form a united front defending higher education from politically motivated attacks.

2) Publicly reaffirm the Reed College commitment to free expression, academic independence, DEI, and the College’s mission to advance knowledge.

3) Resist any illegitimate pressures (governmental or other) to control curricula and hiring, suppress faculty or student speech, or alter admissions or governance policies.

4) Maintain transparency and accountability with faculty, alumni, students, staff, and the broader public regarding how Reed is addressing these threats.