In America: When Governments Target Universities, Is Democracy Next? The University NATO Pact explained
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The Big Ten’s unprecedented alliance against political interference isn’t just about campus politics—it’s a warning sign for American democracy itself.
Originally named for its 10 founding members, the Big Ten group has since grown to include 18 institutions across the U.S., many of which have clashed with the Trump administration and its policies. The faculty senates, which are elected governing bodies of professors and researchers, at ten such universities have formed a 'NATO-like' alliance to oppose the Trump administration.
The proposed alliance seeks to pool fiscal and other assets to mount legal battles brought on by the Federal Government. In a bid to defend member schools targeted by federal investigations, funding freezes, or ideological demands such as the Department of Education’s recent order for Harvard to audit faculty and student views on diversity and ban face masks at protests. Rutgers University spearheaded the movement in March 2025, with its resolution warning of politically motivated actions by governmental bodies designed to “undermine university governance, silence dissent, and exert control over academic inquiry.”
The urgency stems from recent Department of Education threats to withhold funding from 60 schools, including nine Big Ten institutions, over alleged violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in federally funded programs. The administration has broadly interpreted criticism of Israel, including pro-Palestinian activism, as potential antisemitism, despite legal scholars and advocacy groups noting that anti-Zionism and antisemitism are distinct.
“Every moment we wait leaves us less equipped to respond,” said University of Minnesota professor V.V. Ganeshananthan, advocating for swift action to protect campuses.
Trump’s Education Purge: Funding Freezes, Visa Revocations, and “Anti-Woke” Crusades
The Trump administration has weaponized federal funding to pressure universities into dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, curtailing pro-Palestinian activism, and even auditing faculty and student viewpoints. Harvard University, which is facing a $790 million freeze, has refused to comply with demands to ban face masks (at protests) and “ideologically biased” student groups. President Alan Garber emphasized that no government should dictate what private universities teach.
Big Ten schools, though mostly public, are bracing for similar battles. The University of Michigan fired over a dozen DEI staff members this semester. Meanwhile, Purdue and Ohio State revoked visas for international students, who often pay a premium on tuition fees. “They come after one group, then move on to others. Trans people like me are next,” said University of Minnesota doctoral student Greyson Arnold, citing ICE detentions on campus.
Red States Copy-Paste Federal Playbook: Book Bans, “Don’t Say Gay,” and Whitewashed History
Republican-led states have mirrored federal tactics, passing laws banning discussions of systemic racism, LGBTQ+ identities, and “divisive concepts” in K-12 and higher education. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis defended his state’s Stop WOKE Act in 2023, stating, “We believe an important component of freedom in the state of Florida is the freedom from having oppressive ideologies imposed upon you without your consent, whether it be in the classroom or in the workplace. And we decided to do something about it.”
Democratic Lawmakers have pushed back, with Jamie Raskin (D-MD) writing, “Tyrants tell stories only about themselves because history for them begins and ends with their own insatiable appetites”, the ban on teaching CRT in specific American classrooms.
Free Speech Hypocrisy: “Patriots” Silencing Dissent
While decrying “cancel culture,” the Trump administration sought to bar the Associated Press reporters from press briefings after the agency refused to comply with a White House directive to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. Eventually, a judge asked them to rescind their ban and allow the AP to conduct business as usual. The administration has since proposed banning “Live Wire” outlets, including Reuters and Bloomberg, from official events, accusing them of “woke biases.”
Universities report increased surveillance of student protesters, with federal agents citing “national security concerns” to justify interrogating pro-Palestinian activists. ”This is textbook authoritarianism,” said University of Michigan regent Mark Bernstein. “They claim to protect free speech while punishing those who criticize them.”
Global Playbook: From Budapest to Beijing, Autocrats Target Universities First
Historically, regimes aiming to consolidate power first undermine academic independence. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán expelled Central European University for “foreign influence,” while Turkey’s Erdogan purged 5,000 academics after the 2016 coup attempt.
Nazi Germany dissolved faculty governance in 1933, replacing scholars with party loyalists.
“Big Ten institutions haven’t been in the crosshairs, but they can read the writing on the wall,” warned Jon Fansmith of the American Council on Education, when asked why the alliance is necessary.
Will the Compact Hold? Administrations Tread Carefully
The Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors Summit, hosted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in late May 2025, will address the proposed compact. Attendees include leaders from all 18 member institutions, with Michigan State President Kevin Guskiewicz stating they will “take up” faculty proposals.
Over 200 college presidents have condemned federal overreach, and Harvard’s defiance has inspired solidarity, suggesting a potential shift in the tide. As Rutgers professor Todd Wolfson declared, “We’ve led; now it’s time for administrators to put resources behind our defense.”
When governments target universities, democracy itself is at risk. The Big Ten’s standoff isn’t just about funding, it’s a litmus test for whether America’s “harbinger of freedom” can resist the authoritarian playbook.