Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Texas Conference of the AAUP @texasaaup.bsky.social · 1h

🚨Faculty teaching conditions are student learning conditions. Degrading #academicfreedom and free speech affects EVERYONE on campus. This is not the way to build and protect world class colleges and universities!! ⬇️⬇️

Cutter W. González @cutterwgonzalez.bsky.social · 1h

I’m a doctoral student at TXST.

The feeling on campus is worse than you imagine. Faculty afraid to speak, grad students feel like they could lose their entire futures if they draw the university president’s ire, undergrads openly worrying about the complete loss of a fundamental right.

Julie Greene @greeneland.bsky.social · 16h

I just learned, Thomas Alter, tenured professor, has been terminated effective immediately. Shame on Texas State! We mst build support for Tom. spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-tex...

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

AAUP chapter @UT Austin @utaustinaaup.bsky.social · 1h

www.austinchronicle.com/news/republi...

Every faculty member quoted in this piece is active in the AAUP chapter at UT Austin. We are proud of our leaders and members, speaking out when so many are silent. 👏🏽👏🏽

Republicans Continue to Batter UT • The Austin Chronicle

The Texas Republican Party’s ideological transformation of UT-Austin is barreling forward, with new developments coming on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. Last Wednesday, Board of Regents Chairma...

www.austinchronicle.com

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Benjamin McKean @blmckean.bsky.social · 1h

Very bad: OSU unilaterally cancelled the registration of grad students attending the joint conference of the National Society of Black Physicists and the National Society of Hispanic Physicists. And OSU won't fund recruiting at the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.

Ohio State changes policy on group conferences after Trump administration threats

A federal investigation into potentially discriminatory practices at Ohio State prompted the university to change its policies regarding conferences.

www.dispatch.com

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

AAUP chapter @UT Austin @utaustinaaup.bsky.social · 1h

🤠🤠🤠👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽

Bryan Edward Stone (שָׁלוֹם) @bestonetx.bsky.social · 14h

Asking again, if you're a UT-Austin grad, to add your name to this open letter. You can also forward it to President James Davis ([email protected]) and the UT Board of Regents ([email protected]).

Jack Tripper @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 14h

Some select quotes from Texas alumni on the “Compact for Academic Excellence” currently being offered by the Trump Administration.

(Photo by Vivian Arcidiacono on Unsplash)

shorten.ly/nodealtexasq...

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Karl Jacoby @karl-jacoby.bsky.social · 11h

History faculty at Columbia & Barnard decrying the harassment of @mark-bray.bsky.social: "This is the first case in recent memory of a historian who has fled the country after receiving death threats on account of the history that they teach."

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Shea (she/her) @solarshea.bsky.social · 18h

Calling for solidarity against "the compact for academic excellence in higher education" ‼️

@stanfordaaup.bsky.social
@stanforddaily.com.web.brid.gy
@aaup.org
#SaveHigherEd

stanforddaily.com/2025/10/12/f...

From the Community | We must refuse the 'Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education'

Associate professor Greg Martin writes on behalf of the Stanford's AAUP chapter to condemn the White House's compact on higher education.

stanforddaily.com

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Bryan Edward Stone (שָׁלוֹם) @bestonetx.bsky.social · 14h

Asking again, if you're a UT-Austin grad, to add your name to this open letter. You can also forward it to President James Davis ([email protected]) and the UT Board of Regents ([email protected]).

Jack Tripper @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 14h

Some select quotes from Texas alumni on the “Compact for Academic Excellence” currently being offered by the Trump Administration.

(Photo by Vivian Arcidiacono on Unsplash)

shorten.ly/nodealtexasq...

Longhorns on grassy field under blue cloudy sky

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Victor Ray @victorerikray.bsky.social · 15h

If red state schools accept this we are going to get a two-tiered system of higher ed. One set of states will be based in empirical reality and the other will be subject to the whims of a conspiratorial movement that is increasingly detached from facts.

Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 16h

After getting zero firm commitments to this point from the first nine invitees, the Trump administration is extending its proposed compact to all colleges. Expect some red-state publics to say yes.

Trump Offers All Colleges Preferential Funding Plan Rejected by MIT

The Trump administration is inviting all US colleges to participate in a compact — initially rejected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that would grant preferential federal funding in re...

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Jack Tripper @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 14h

bit.ly/nodealtexas

Former Longhorns “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” Open Letter

On September 28th, The Washington Post reported that the Trump Administration is planning to offer what they have named a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” to nine universities in ...

bit.ly

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Texas Conference of the AAUP @texasaaup.bsky.social · 14h

⭐️⭐️Statement from Dr. Tom Alter following his firing today from Texas State University. This is a massive loss for #academicfreedom and First Amendment rights at Texas State. Our fight for Dr. Alter will continue. ✊

Black text on shaded blue background moving from teal to pale blue. “Committee to Defend Tom Alter” in bold black and red.

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Laprofmme @laprofmme.bsky.social · 1d

Courtesy of colleagues at Penn

A variation on Benjamin Franklin’s 1754 engraving in the Pennsylvania Gazette, published in Philadelphia, in an effort to foster cooperation among the various colonies against the tyrant king of Britain, with the American colonies replaced by the nine universities selected for special collaboration opportunities

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 15h

If you are applying for a faculty job in Texas, argue for a higher salary than you'd get at other institutions. The lack of real tenure protections is a de facto compensation cut and you should negotiate accordingly.

Texas search committees know that getting good candidates is an uphill battle.

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 16h

If you make "controversial statements" outside of classroom, that the President of the university dislikes, you can be summarily fired even if you are tenured.

Julie Greene @greeneland.bsky.social · 16h

I just learned, Thomas Alter, tenured professor, has been terminated effective immediately. Shame on Texas State! We mst build support for Tom. spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-tex...

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

AAUP-Ohio State @osuaaup.bsky.social · 15h

The US executive branch is cutting academic research funding & withholding grants on political grounds. But now it’s funding the Chase Center. This is part of the attempted takeover of higher education by the right.

There's nothing neutral about that.

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Jack Tripper @chadstanton.blacksky.app · 15h

bit.ly/nodealtexas

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Texas Conference of the AAUP @texasaaup.bsky.social · 16h

😡😡😡

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 16h

If you make "controversial statements" outside of classroom, that the President of the university dislikes, you can be summarily fired even if you are tenured.

Julie Greene @greeneland.bsky.social · 16h

I just learned, Thomas Alter, tenured professor, has been terminated effective immediately. Shame on Texas State! We mst build support for Tom. spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-tex...

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 22h

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!

The University of Texas-Austin is beginning a process to eliminate the Black Studies, Latino Studies, and Gender Studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. This is a grave threat to the educational liberty of students, faculty, staff, and the people of Texas. 1/

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Robert Kelchen @robertkelchen.com · 16h

After getting zero firm commitments to this point from the first nine invitees, the Trump administration is extending its proposed compact to all colleges. Expect some red-state publics to say yes.

Trump Offers All Colleges Preferential Funding Plan Rejected by MIT

The Trump administration is inviting all US colleges to participate in a compact — initially rejected by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — that would grant preferential federal funding in re...

www.bloomberg.com

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Julie Greene @greeneland.bsky.social · 16h

I just learned, Thomas Alter, tenured professor, has been terminated effective immediately. Shame on Texas State! We mst build support for Tom. spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/south-tex...

Texas State upholds the firing of associate history professor Thomas Alter

Alter’s termination occurred on Sept. 10, stemming from his remarks at the Revolutionary Socialism Conference on Sept. 7.

spectrumlocalnews.com

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Texas Conference of the AAUP @texasaaup.bsky.social · 19h

“It is telling that [Eltife] mentioned the TX governor, lieutenant governor + speaker of the house as the people he’s been working with to improve higher education-not university leaders…If he signs the compact he will be signing away academic freedom + undermining our great TX public universities.”

Republicans Continue to Batter UT • The Austin Chronicle

The Texas Republican Party’s ideological transformation of UT-Austin is barreling forward, with new developments coming on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. Last Wednesday, Board of Regents Chairma...

www.austinchronicle.com

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 1d

Shootings at Alcorn State University and Jackson State University on Saturday bring the death toll for this weekend's shootings across five Mississippi counties to nine, with at least 15 injured.

Other shootings hit three Mississippi high schools on Friday night, including two homecoming games.

Nine Dead, at Least 15 Injured in Shootings Across 5 Mississippi Counties

Six people are confirmed dead and at least 12 others injured in three separate shootings in Mississippi on the night of Friday, Oct. 10.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Anna Clark @annaleighclark.bsky.social · 1d

UPDATE from @jodiscohen.bsky.social + @jsmithrichards.bsky.social:

Following public outcry, the Department of Ed. has reversed its decision to cut funding for students who have both hearing and vision loss, opting instead to reroute grants to an org that will provide funding to these students.

Students With Hearing and Vision Loss Get Funding Back Despite Trump’s Anti-DEI Campaign

Following public outcry, the Department of Education has reversed its decision to cut funding for students who have both hearing and vision loss, opting instead to reroute grants to an organization th...

www.propublica.org

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AFL-CIO @aflcio.org · 1d

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a time to celebrate those who first called this land home.

America’s unions recognize the struggles and tragedies they have endured, and we honor the many indigenous communities and cultures that have contributed to the story of our labor movement.

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

Andrea Kaston Tange @aktange.bsky.social · 1d

My latest: "Numerous studies show that majors in the humanities—typically, in departments of English, history, philosophy, religious studies, classics and languages—lead students to employment and life satisfaction outcomes as positive as those for majors traditionally championed as 'practical.'”

Counterpoint | Minnesota humanities graduates thrive in meaningful careers

"The stereotype of the underemployed history major is simply not true," professor Andrea Kaston Tange writes.

www.startribune.com

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AAUP @aaup.org · 1d

Shanae Aurora Martinez is a professor of Indigenous Literature at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. In this interview, she shares her story about being suspended for defending her students’ rights to protest the university’s investments in weapons manufacturing.

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Reposted by Texas Conference of the AAUP

AAUP chapter @UT Austin @utaustinaaup.bsky.social · 2d

AAUP will be marching g with TSEU! No Kings! No Loyalty Oaths! No Compact!

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