Students and faculty members in 海角换妻 spoke out Thursday in defense of higher education, joining against the Trump administration's efforts to reshape college campuses.
Several hundred people gathered at Yale University in New Haven and at the Storrs Campus of the University of 海角换妻. Demonstrators said they want to protect academic freedom, and decried cuts to research funding, elimination of visas for some international students and other recent moves by the federal government.
Chris Vials, an English professor at UConn, said he feels frightened for the future of higher education.
鈥淔ederal meddling is basically destroying the very fabric of the university,鈥� said Vials, who is president of the school's chapter of the American Association of University Professors.
Vials pointed to immigration actions against faculty and staff across the country.
UConn recently announced more than a dozen international students have had their visas revoked by federal officials, and over 40 other students in the state have experienced the same. Vials also pointed to a doctoral student at Tufts in Boston, who was stopped and detained by immigration enforcement officers.
'Don't muzzle us'
Alex Blagojevic, a biomedical engineering PhD student, said UConn is facing a crisis because of funding cuts.
鈥淚t's an existential threat for UConn,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f this keeps up, combining the federal level cuts with more state level cuts, the same research infrastructure we have might not exist for much longer, so we really need the state to kind of pick up the slack.鈥�
Demonstrators gathered on the Student Union lawn with signs that read 鈥淯Conn Labor stands up for students/research/UConn鈥� and 鈥淗ands off universities.鈥� A couple people had signs with a picture of a muzzled husky, the school's mascot, that read, 鈥淒on鈥檛 muzzle us.鈥�
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal showed his support at the rally. Blumenthal, a 海角换妻 Democrat, called up a rally-goer dressed as Mark Twain to join him in front of the crowd, saying, 鈥淢ark Twain would be turning over in his grave if he saw what is happening right now, our president of the United States authorizing this kind of action" by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Blumenthal said he is going to mobilize his colleagues in the U.S. Senate to demand a stop to the revocation of student visas.
Private universities speak out against 'chilling' actions
At Yale, demonstrators gathered at the school's Cross Campus, some holding signs. Jeff Wickersham, an associate professor studying infectious diseases at the Yale School of Medicine, said the atmosphere on campus has been tense, as some members of the university worry about being targeted for their views.
Wickersham said the government has canceled several of the school鈥檚 grants, including money to research HIV/AIDS. Wickersham said he was told the decision was made in part because the research was viewed as ideological.
鈥淚t's completely an ideological agenda that they are forcing upon science which has no business in scientific work," he said.
Jocelyn Galicia, a Yale sophomore studying statistics and data science, said federal funding cuts could impact research she鈥檚 passionate about, such as cutting edge treatments for cancer.
鈥淚 think that's one of the most important ones on my mind," Galicia said. "I feel if that type of research is cut, a lot of people can be impacted health wise.鈥�
Rachel Kauder Nalebuff, a lecturer teaching nonfiction writing at the university, spoke about the importance of making her students feel safe to express themselves.
鈥淢y goal is for them to leave the classroom with what I've taught them and to learn how to express themselves freely, critically, and they can't right now," Kauder Nalebuff said. "There's so much fear."
The Trump administration has said its aim is to protect students from antisemitism, and eliminate diversity and equity programs, which it says are discriminatory.
In Middletown, Wesleyan University President Michael Roth said his school has felt pressure from the Trump administration, in the form of the cancellation of federal grants to researchers, often with just a two-sentence email saying the grant no longer meets the priorities of the administration.
鈥淭hat's pretty chilling,鈥� Roth said. 鈥淲e've never had grants for historical research or biomedical research have to follow the priorities of a new administration. This is a new and pretty terrifying prospect.鈥�
Roth made his comments 鈥�. He says at times, some researchers don't even get a notice when the administration cancels their grant.
'Really scary times' at UConn
At the UConn rally, some voiced concern about the reaction from university administration. One point of contention is a UConn policy that restricts the use of amplified sound at demonstrations during certain hours.
Vials, the UConn professor, said the school's decision aligns with a national trend toward a chilling of free speech.
"It's minor compared to what's happening at the federal level, but nonetheless, the university needs to show that it's got its faculty and students鈥� backs," he said.
The school previously allowed groups to use amplified sound at noon, but has since expanded the restriction from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. It updated the last year because classes are now held during the noon hour, according to UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.
Thursday's rally moved inside into the Student Union in order to have amplified sound for a press conference. At the end of the rally, Vials said to a cheering crowd, 鈥淭his amplified sound policy has to stop. This is a total curbing of free speech.鈥�
Lily Luo is a PhD student of political science at UConn and member of the union that represents graduate and postdoctoral students who work for the school. Luo said she feels state government and university officials are not showing up to protect important values the way unions are.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a terrible environment on campus," she said. "I think that we are doing our best to protect one another and keep each other safe. But it's really scary times."
