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Standing Together

This page provides links and resources to help us stand together for our community. It is divided into two sections, standing together against threats to academic freedom and standing together against other threats to our community and our work.

Standing Together Against Threats to Academic Freedom

“Academic freedom is the indispensable requisite for unfettered teaching and research in institutions of higher education. As the academic community's core policy document states, "institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition" (1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, which has been endorsed by more than 280 national scholarly and educational associations).

Faculty First Responders

https://facultyfirstresponders.com/

facultyfirstresponders@gmail.com 

 

  • Monitors websites most responsible for generating targeted harassment of faculty on a daily basis; reach out to faculty with resources and support

  • Resources for Higher Ed workers and Administrators

 

Fantastic resource (and comprehensive list of best practices and resources)!

AFT Resolution

2024 Resolution Condemning Hate and Affirming Freedom of Speech on Campus

https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-passes-resolution-condemning-hate-and-affirming-freedom-speech-campus

AAUP Resources

https://www.aaup.org/our-work/protecting-academic-freedom

academicfreedom@aaup.org

 

Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure

  • Promotes standards and due process; development of policy documents and reports;

  • Staff provides assistance, including mediation

 

List of resources on academic freedom: https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/resources-academic-freedom

 

Webinars: https://www.aaup.org/webinar-library

 

Speak Up, Speak Out: Protect the Faculty Voice. An AAUP issue campaign, with supporting material, that was undertaken to enhance academic freedom at public colleges and universities.

 

Manufacturing Backlash: Right-Wing Think Tanks and the Legislative Attack on Higher Education, 2021–2023. 2024. The first white paper by the Center for the Defense of Academic Freedom.

PEN America

PEN America: “Online Harassment Field Manual”

https://onlineharassmentfieldmanual.pen.org/

AAUP 
Best Practices

  • Familiarize yourself with laws, union statements and policies

  • Use only a personal email account for organizing, political and other work not directly connected to your job (work email subject to Freedom of Information or state public record requests)

  • Lock down your digital identity: https://www.femtechnet.org/csov/lock-down-your-digital-identity/

    • Two-factor authentication on everything

    • Use a password manager and use unique password

    • Delete old accounts; adjust privacy settings on social media

  • In your syllabus, state that audio, video, or other recording of class sessions and activities is prohibited unless explicitly approved in writing (RIC Center for Disability Access has a recording agreement students sign that addresses this)

Sample Campus Response Plans

UMass Amherst’ Harassment Response and Prevention plan

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IAB9ULQGLq6_AVECadK0cVQ5VUA8Pfib/view

 

 

Sonoma State University  “A “First Responder” Plan for Online Harassment of Faculty”

https://academicaffairs.sonoma.edu/sites/academicaffairs/files/ofas_faculty_first_responder_plan.pdf

Standing Together Against Other Threats

Members of our community are facing numerous threats around issues ranging from immigration status to free speech. Find some resources below; if you have others to share with us, let us know and we can add them.

Immigration-Related Resources

AFT members on Visas (FAQ on rights and risks): https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2025/aftmembersonvisas.pdf

 

Standing united to protect the rights of immigrant students and their families: Toolkit: https://www.aft.org/our-community/immigration/standing-united/standing-united-protect-rights-immigrant-students-and

 

National Immigrant Justice Center: “Know your rights: If you encounter ICE:" https://immigrantjustice.org/know-your-rights/ice-encounter

Legislative Assaults

Campus Free Speech

PEN America: Campus Free Speech guides and workshops:

https://pen.org/campus-free-speech/

HSIs

¿Qué pasa, HSIs? Newsletter, Blog, and Podcast

https://www.ginaanngarcia.com/

Education4All

"We provide tools, strategies, and support to help college leaders navigate anti-educational, anti-DEI challenges while centering student success."

https://education4allhub.com/

National Academies Resource Page

Resources for researchers and scholars to prevent and respond to targeted attacks.

https://www.nationalacademies.org/chr/resources-for-researchers-and-scholars-under-threat-in-the-united-states

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