Category Archives: Highlight

by | October 15, 2025 · 8:19 AM

AAUP-CSU suggestions for No Kings rally signs

The Oct. 18, No Kings March will likely be the biggest day of protest in US history, and the AAUP-CSU wants to ensure that this includes strong and clear support for higher education.

When making your signs, please consider promoting a message of support for Academic Freedom, Research Integrity, Curricula Independence, Student Support Services, and other key values of higher education.

The Trump Administration is bribing and threatening universities to exert direct control over educational activities to censor and silence research and education from topics ranging from Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice to Science and Health. We must stay strong and organize to resist these attacks.

If you are marching in Northern Colorado, please consider adding one of the following slides to your sign to help support the American Association of University Professors at Colorado State University.

Come to the AAUP-CSU Sign-Making party (Thursday, Oct 16, 4:30-6:30 PM, LSC Room 386) to get some logo stickers and to make signs with us.

Flyer for the Rally and March

Please print and cut out as many copies of this flyer as you can and help us to pass them out at the march. We will have extras at the AAUP-CSU booth on Saturday.

Suggested Slogans for Signs

Here are a few slogans that could help to promote the AAUP message to protect academic freedom, research integrity, curricular independence and free speech at universities.

  • Protect Education, Save Democracy, Join AAUP
  • Education is for Everyone
  • Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Reject Trump’s University Loyalty Oath
  • No kings in the classroom.
  • Don’t Censor our Science!
  • Knowledge, not kings!
  • The free mind knows no crown.
  • Universities, not Vassals
  • Faculty Free = Liberty
  • Faculty Voice=More Choice
  • Science Helps Everyone
  • DEI shouldn’t DIE
  • Less Vought, more Thought
  • Vaccines Cause Adults
  • AAUP for Democracy
  • Science, not Superstition 
  • Education, not Deportation

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by | October 13, 2025 · 4:58 PM

AAUP-CSU Postcard Campaign to Protect Free Speech, Academic Freedom, and Student Centers

So far, the AAUP-CSU Postcard Campaign for Free Speech, Academic Freedom, and Student Centers, in partnership with the ASCSU, has collected and delivered more than 400 postcards to CSU Chancellor Tony Frank and the CSU Board of Governors! The campaign has already played an important role to help convince the CSU Administration to withdraw their disastrous changes to the Free Speech and Peaceful Assembly policies.

But, we are not done fighting yet. Free speech, academic freedom, and student services at our universities are still at risk!

The troubling changes to free speech and peaceful assembly have been withdrawn this time, but continued faculty, student, and community engagement is essential to ensure that the administration meaningfully consult, in the spirit of shared governance, with affected parties before making policy changes that have such profound and lasting effects on our university and our community members. 

We now have proof that this campaign is working, and we need your help to expand this effort!

If you attend the No Kings Rally in Fort Collins on October 18, 2025, stop by the AAUP tent and fill out a postcard. Bring as many supporters to the table as you can find.

If you cannot attend, but you want postcards to share with colleagues, friends, neighbors, and family members—anyone in the CSU community or the state of Colorado is invited to fill out a postcard—contact Communications and Organizing Co-Chair Karrin Anderson.

Submit a Virtual Postcard

See what others are writing!

The postcard campaign will continue through the end of the Fall 2025 semester.

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by | October 8, 2025 · 3:29 PM

CSU Withdraws Changes to Freedom of Speech and Peaceful Assembly Policy!

AAUP-CSU is pleased to announce that following discussions with President Parsons at Faculty Council on October 7, 2025, CSU administration has withdrawn their recent changes to the Freedom of Speech and Peaceful Assembly policy.

AAUP-CSU thanks all who took time to submit comments or postcards surrounding this policy and the more general topics of Academic Freedom and Shared Governance. Once again, we learn the power of unity:

When we Fight We Win.

But, we are not done fighting yet.

Unfortunately, withdrawing these policy changes was not soon enough to prevent a CSU student from being publicly harassed and intimidated with insults and threats by CSU officials for chalking on the LSC plaza on the afternoon of October 7, 2025.  AAUP-CSU and representatives across campus were horrified to learn of this incident when they were discussed at faculty council. This injustice highlights the potential impacts and long-range consequences that poorly considered policies can have on employees and students.  

The radical changes have been withdrawn this time, but…

Continued and increased faculty and student engagement is essential to ensure that administration meaningfully consult, in the spirit of shared governance, with affected parties before making policy changes that have such profound and lasting effects on our university and our community members. 

Read more about the policy and AAUP-CSU’s advocacy response here:

Join or Support AAUP, and help us to continue to protect our constitutional rights and academic responsibilities.

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by | October 8, 2025 · 7:19 AM

AAUP-CSU Needs your Help Now!

Dear AAUP Members and Supporters and all CSU and Fort Collins Community Members,

AAUP-CSU invites you and your colleagues, friends, and family of all ages to three fun, yet important democratic actions that AAUP is taking over the next two weeks to fight for the rights and careers of our students, staff, and faculty.  We desperately need your help right now to protect academic freedom, free speech, student services, and the sciences, research, and arts at CSU. 

Please sign up to volunteer here:

On Thursday, October 9, members of the AAUP and CSU community members will be attending the CSU Board of Governors Meeting at 9:00am in the Long’s Peak room of the Lory Student Center to speak about faculty, student, and staff concerns regarding recent changes to the free speech policy, the continuing need to support CSU services, and to voice concerns about how the budget will affect jobs and services across campus. If you are available at 9:00am, please join to support our efforts on these crucial issues. Arrive early to fill out a comment postcard to be given to the BoG. This event was a resounding success. thank you to all who joined!

On Thursday, October 16, the AAUP will be co-hosting a Sign-Making Party from 4:30pm – 6:30pm in the Lory Student Center, Room 386.  At this event, we will have music, conversation, and shared arts and crafts supplies for participants to express their support for the sciences, arts, and humanities; for education; for freedom of speech; and for so many other issues that are under attack in the current political climate. Bring your colleagues, friends, and families for an evening of fun and creativity. Donate a few extra sign-making supplies to share if you are able.

On Saturday, October 18, the AAUP will be joining IndivisibleNoCo, dozens of other local groups, and thousands of Fort Collins residents to attend the No Kings Rally and March (9:00-11:30 a.m. in Civic Center Park, 201 Laporte Avenue in Fort Collins). AAUP will have a tent and tables to distribute information about recent attacks on academic freedom and the lawsuits that the AAUP has won to protect faculty, students, and staff at US Universities against illegal executive overreaches. We will be collecting statements on postcards to demonstrate that CSU and Fort Collins community members still care about our constitutional rights and about education and research in the humanities, arts, and sciences.

There are many fun and easy ways to help!

Bring your friends and family to our sign-making party on Thursday, grab a few of our AAUP Logos and QR Code Stickers to display proudly on your signs to support education, science, and the arts. Wear an AAUP pin at the march, and help us to pass out flyers to support the work that AAUP is doing to protect our freedoms. Bring as many people over to the AAUP table as you can so they can learn more, and so they can sign postcards to tell CSU administration that we care deeply about our rights. 

More information about these and many other events can be found on the AAUP website here: https://aaupcsu.org/ 

Encourage your colleagues to sign up as local members or supporters of AAUP-CSU (https://aaupcsu.org/join-and-support/), so that they too can take part in this movement (ask us about low or zero-cost memberships). And as always, please let us know if you would like to get more involved in planning or supporting future AAUP events or actions.

When we unite and fight, we win.

Yours, in solidarity,

The Communications and Organizing and Executive Committees of the AAUP-CSU

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by | September 30, 2025 · 9:53 AM

AAUP-CSU Newsletter, October 2025

AAUP-CSU’s October 2025 Newsletter is now available (click here!). There is a lot going on, and AAUP-CSU is active in taking a stand for employee rights, academic freedom, free speech and student services. Please distribute to all your colleagues, friends, and family and join us at this Wednesday’s general meeting.

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by | September 28, 2025 · 9:51 AM

Act Now to Save Funding for Science, Research, and the Arts

President Trump’s attacks on funding for the arts and the humanities, as well as support for scientific and medical research, might well reach the level of an existential threat if his 2026 budget is approved by Congress. His draconian cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities last spring are being followed by proposals to eliminate these programs altogether. The budget put forward by the administration also includes a nearly 40% cut to the National Institutes of Health and an almost 50% reduction in funds for the National Science Foundation.

Eliminating or slashing support for these agencies would mean a return to the white-washed histories of last century, the erasure of art programs, and the exclusion of already disenfranchised groups from the creative and scientific life of this country. The loss of funding would end life-saving research projects, shutter labs, eliminate jobs, and cut graduate programs.

The American Association of University Professors is asking members in all states to call or write to their elected officials and urge them to protect research funding (https://www.aaup.org/about/programs/government-relations/fighting-science-and-research-funding) . While budget negotiations are currently stalled, and a partial federal shut-down looms, the Congressional budget process will eventually resume, and legislators will determine specific levels of funding – if any – for all these agencies.

Suggestions for what to include in your call or letter:

  • Maintain funding levels for the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
  • Strengthen the legislative language and oversight efforts to ensure the Trump administration disburses federal grants in accordance with existing law and free from political interference.
  • Preserve the appropriations provision that prohibits the Trump administration from making unilateral changes to indirect costs – changing the formula for how grant funds are disbursed would seriously endanger key operations at colleges and universities.
  • Protect access to education by opposing cuts to Pell grants for students with financial need, the TRIO program supporting first generation college students, loan programs for graduate students, and income-based repayment plans that protect college graduates against default.

How to contact your legislators:

Colorado Senators

Colorado Representatives, Fort Collins area

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by | September 18, 2025 · 11:13 AM

Revised Free Speech Policy Alarms Faculty and Students

by the AAUP@CSU Executive Committee

The revised free speech policy announced by the CSU administration at the September 2, 2025 Faculty Council meeting threatens the right to free speech and peaceful assembly on campus. It was fast-tracked rather than brought to the floor of the Faculty Council to avoid public deliberation, an action that violates the norms of shared governance. Concerns about the new policy (read the new policy and tracked changes here: ) include the following (please click the arrows below to expand each section):

  1. The new policy is overly broad and often confusing.
2. The new policy adds unreasonable limitations on employee speech.

a. The policy mandates that “speech made in an employee’s official capacity may be subject to institutional oversight,” but does not specify which types of speech constitute “speaking in an official capacity” or what the institutional oversight would entail.

b. The policy contains a “Public Commentary” section that defines public commentary as employees’ “expressive activities as private citizens on matters of public interest.” This definition is broad enough to potentially encompass public scholarship, extension, or engagement work. This is a clear abrogation of academic freedom.

c. The policy states that “Employees may engage in Expressive Activities as private citizens on matters of public interest, so long as those activities do not pertain to or interrupt their official job duties and responsibilities.” This implies that the university has oversight of the free speech rights of private citizens, including any speech relating to education or education policy.

d. The policy appears to restrict faculty members’ use of their academic rank as a professional title.

3. The new policy infringes on students’ rights to free speech and peaceful demonstrations.

a. The new policy limits chalking on the plaza to publicity for programming by CSU units and student organizations, violating people’s right to free speech.

b. The policy puts limitations on the projection of messages on public buildings and surfaces. Symbolic protests that “block the audience’s view” or prevent participation in a university event are forbidden.

c. Camping and encampments” are broadly defined and tightly regulated in ways that violate the spirit of peaceful assembly.

4. The new policy radically redefines “peaceful” to exclude any “act or activity” that violates “applicable law or policy.”

a. This is an overly broad statement that, for example, would categorize non-promotional messages chalked on the LSC plaza as activity that is not peaceful.

Section E.8.2.f of the Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual states that “The major purpose of the University Administration is to provide an atmosphere conducive to teaching, research, extension, and service. Administrators, therefore, must protect, defend, and promote academic freedom as a necessary prelude to the free search for and exposition of truth and understanding.” AAUP@CSU believes that both the approval process for and the substance of the new policy violates one of the most fundamental administrative responsibilities articulated in the Manual.

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by | July 2, 2025 · 6:31 AM

AAUP-CSU condemns attacks against CSU from the AFL.

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  

Add the July 10 AAUP meeting to your calendar: Google Calendar

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by | June 24, 2025 · 7:22 PM

AAUP-CSU at the No Kings march

The CSU chapter of the AAUP attended the No Kings march on June 14. What an amazing turnout — 10,000 or more people marching, just in Fort Collins.

AAUP members and CSU professors Anders Fremstad (Department of Economics) and Brian Munsky (School of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering) both spoke at the event to protest against the unconstitutional intimidation against free speech for students, staff and faculty.

“Trump attacks universities for the same reason all would-be kings attack universities: they are independent civic institutions dedicated to the pursuit of truth,” explained Dr. Fremstad. “Trump has detained or deported hundreds of international students and scholars. In some cases, the administration has detained university members for denouncing the genocide in Gaza. In most cases, it has deported campus members without providing any reason whatsoever. This semester, two of my students had their visas revoked without any semblance of due process. One day they were in class, and the next they were on flights home. Even tenured faculty with green cards are at risk. These attacks undermine American universities and the United State’s place in the world.”

“It breaks my heart that they cannot openly criticize the indiscriminate bombing of starving children without risking torture and deportation by the US government,” Dr. Munsky followed. “These intimidation tactics need to stop. Our students desperately need our help. Their education, their careers, even their lives are at risk. If we don’t raise our voices to protect our students’ free speech today, there will be no one to speak up for us tomorrow.”

The reception was outstanding – thank you Fort Collins for your support for academic freedom, for free speech and for all students, faculty and staff at CSU.

We’d love to see and post some of your photos!

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AAUP-CSU Advocates for the Establishment of a Mutual Defense Compact for CO Higher Education

The AAUP Resolution to Establish a Mutual Defense Compact for Colorado Institutions of Higher Education was discussed and passed at the CSU Faculty Senate on May 6, 2025 with a resounding vote of 45-1. Read the full resolution below.

We still need your help!!

Email President Amy Parsons (Amy.Parsons@colostate.edu) and Chancellor Tony Frank (Tony.Frank@ColoState.edu) and ask them to lend their support.

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by | May 6, 2025 · 4:00 AM