Dear Colleagues,
I am writing about the disturbing, so-called “civil rights complaint” that has been brought against Colorado State University by a group known as America First Legal. This out-of-state organization, which was founded by Stephen Miller and named after a KKK slogan, cares nothing about truth, education, or the Colorado State community. Their frivolous attack seeks only to intimidate us so that they may exert political control over our university.
The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) at CSU believes deeply in our land grant mission to provide an affordable and high quality education that supports all members of our community. We ask CSU President Parsons, Chancellor Tony Frank, and the entire CSU administration and Board of Governors to stand with AAUP-CSU and other campus organizations to collectively resist these threats.
We renew our call to support the AAUP Resolution to Establish a Mutual Defense Compact for Colorado Institutions of Higher Education, which passed with overwhelming support by both the Associated Students of the Colorado State University (ASCSU) and the CSU Faculty Council, as well as the faculty organizations at many other institutions in the state. Only by collaborating, will Colorado’s colleges and universities be able to build the strength necessary to protect our academic freedom.
In order to strengthen our voice, we ask all those involved in teaching and research at CSU to please join the AAUP, the nation’s most powerful advocacy and collective bargaining unit for higher education. The AAUP has filed several active lawsuits to protect university members, including to block mass termination of science grants, to reverse unconstitutional executive DEI orders, and stop politically motivated deportations. Help us to defend ourselves against these unlawful attacks on higher education, and together we will ensure that all CSU students, staff, and faculty may continue to be treated with inclusion, integrity, respect, and social justice as they pursue excellence in academics and research.
I apologize for disturbing your much-deserved summer break, but we are facing a critical moment, and we must respond if we wish to maintain the core principles of our University community.
Mary Van Buren,
President, AAUP-CSU
On Behalf of the Executive Committee
