NYU withheld Logan Rozos’s diploma after he delivered an anti-war commencement speech condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza, characterizing them as genocide supported by the U.S. The university stated Rozos violated his agreement by delivering a speech differing from his promised content and used his platform to express personal political views. This action follows previous incidents where NYU has faced criticism for suppressing anti-war speech and allegedly yielding to pressure from pro-Israel groups. Rozos’s student profile was subsequently removed from the NYU website.
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After over six weeks in Louisiana immigration detention, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk returned to Boston. Her release followed a federal judge’s order, concluding that the government provided no evidence justifying her arrest beyond an op-ed she co-authored criticizing her university’s response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ozturk, who maintains her innocence, will continue her legal case, asserting that her detention violated her constitutional rights, including free speech. The judge’s ruling was later upheld by a federal appeals court, allowing her to participate remotely in Louisiana proceedings while continuing her doctoral studies.
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The Trump administration’s decision to bar Harvard University from receiving new federal research funding is a dramatic and controversial move. It’s a bold action, raising questions about the administration’s motives and the potential ramifications for both Harvard and the broader scientific community. The sheer audacity of the decision is striking, considering Harvard’s prestigious reputation and its significant contributions to research and development. This action seems to be less about sound policy and more about a targeted attack motivated by personal grievances.
This decision immediately sparks thoughts of potential legal challenges. Harvard possesses considerable legal resources and a strong track record of success in litigation, making a lawsuit a very real possibility.… Continue reading
France pledged an additional €100 million to its France 2030 program, aiming to attract researchers and establish Europe as a haven for scientific pursuit. This initiative directly counters recent trends in the United States, where significant cuts to research funding and restrictions on researcher visas have been criticized as a “reverse enlightenment.” Speakers condemned these actions, highlighting the erosion of academic freedom and the chilling effect on scientific progress. The commitment underscores Europe’s commitment to open science and its intention to provide a refuge for researchers facing political and ideological constraints elsewhere.
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France and the EU will jointly announce incentives to attract U.S. scientists facing threats to academic freedom and funding under the Trump administration. This initiative, spearheaded by President Macron and Commission President von der Leyen, aims to offer researchers protections and support for relocation to Europe. The effort follows a letter from thirteen European nations urging faster action and builds on existing French programs like “Choose France for Science” and CNRS’s new initiative to attract threatened researchers. While challenges remain, including salary disparities, Europe views this as an opportunity to bolster its research capacity by welcoming top talent.
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Harvard faculty members are pledging 10% of their salaries for one year to mitigate the financial impact of the Trump administration’s $2 billion funding freeze. This action directly opposes the administration’s demands regarding race-based admissions policies, which Harvard has refused to comply with. The faculty’s donation, coordinated by a group of prominent professors, aims to support the university’s defense of academic freedom and lessen the burden on students and staff. Funds will be used to support university programs, contingent on a faculty vote confirming responsible university resource allocation. The university’s lawsuit against the administration is scheduled for oral hearings in late July.
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Harvard University’s lawsuit against the Trump administration is a significant event, highlighting a clash between the government and a prestigious academic institution. The lawsuit stems from what many perceive as an unconstitutional and authoritarian overreach by the administration. The administration’s actions, ostensibly aimed at combating antisemitism on college campuses, are viewed by many as a thinly veiled attempt to control academic discourse and suppress dissenting viewpoints.
The administration’s demands on universities are extensive and intrusive. They include demands for detailed reporting on foreign students, allowing government-appointed overseers to ensure adherence to specific viewpoints, providing access to all hiring and admissions data to influence personnel decisions, and shutting down programs deemed to promote opposing ideologies.… Continue reading
Harvard University rejected the Trump administration’s demands for sweeping changes to its operations in exchange for $9 billion in research funding. These demands, which included audits of academic programs and alterations to governance, were deemed unlawful infringements on the university’s independence and constitutional rights. The administration subsequently froze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts. Harvard maintains its commitment to fighting antisemitism but insists these objectives will not be achieved through governmental overreach. The threatened funding cuts jeopardize vital research partnerships crucial to American innovation and global competitiveness.
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Aix-Marseille University’s “Safe Place for Science” program, offering three years of funding to 20 researchers fleeing US academic crackdowns, received 298 applications, with 242 deemed eligible. Applicants hailed from prestigious US universities and included Americans, dual nationals, and researchers from other countries. Former French President François Hollande, advocating for a “scientific refugee” status, introduced a bill proposing subsidiary protection for academics facing threats to their freedom. This legislative action aims to provide faster processing for these researchers, enabling them to continue their work while highlighting France’s commitment to academic freedom.
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Michigan State University’s Faculty Senate passed a resolution urging Big Ten universities to create a “mutual defense compact” against the Trump administration’s attacks on higher education. This compact would involve a shared defense fund providing legal, communication, and legislative support to any member institution facing political or legal infringement. The resolution follows similar actions by faculty senates at other universities, including Rutgers and Nebraska. While MSU leadership’s response remains uncertain, faculty express hope based on previous public pushback against the administration’s actions.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood