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Sign On: National Letter from Elected Student Leaders Defending Higher Education

As student leaders of America’s colleges and universities, we speak with one voice to stand against the attacks on higher education that affect every student we represent.

We are students first. However, we are also leaders of our campuses, elected to uphold values of equity, inclusion, academic freedom, and shared governance. Make no mistake: We oppose government overreach that threatens the basic rights of students to learn, speak, and belong without fear of political retaliation. 

Today, we are witnessing a troubling shift across our country as our government enacts policies that silence the teaching of accurate history, target diversity programs, attack international students, round up activists for exercising freedom of speech, and threaten public funding as a tool to intimidate and instill fear on our college campuses. These actions do not reflect the values of a free society or the democratic premises upon which our country was built.

The landscape of American higher education is naturally vast and diverse. Our institutions range from flagship public universities to small liberal arts colleges and historic private institutions, from historically Black and Native American colleges to Hispanic-serving institutions. We unite to defend our shared belief that education should and must be grounded in truth, critical thinking, and the ability to engage with ideas—even when we disagree with them.

Our campuses must remain spaces of inquiry and critical thought. All of our peers, regardless of race, gender identity, religion, or immigration status, deserve to feel safe and valued. Our professors must be free to teach without fearing censorship. We urge government officials not to see these as partisan ideals but rather the foundation of an educated, democratic society.

Colleges and universities are not just places where young people earn degrees, they are hubs of leadership, innovation, and civic responsibility. They shape the thinkers, workers, and changemakers who will help our country face the challenges of tomorrow and, as such, must foster open dialogue and freedom of discourse. Undermining the integrity of higher education is not just an attack on our institutions but an act that jeopardizes our communities, economy, and country.

We do not seek immunity from criticism. Rather, we request partnership instead of punishment. As the voice of our peers, we ask for a future in which students are empowered, where policy is driven by facts, and where higher education is protected as a public good instead of treated as a political battleground.

On behalf of the students we represent today and the ones who will follow, we urge leaders at every level, especially our institutional leaders, to reject political interference in our classrooms and instead invest in the future of higher education. Academic freedom is not the only element of our democracy at stake, it is the future of the values this country holds dear.

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Authored by Adolfo Alvarez, Student Body President at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Please feel free to share this with other student leaders on your or any other campuses.

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Signatories (ordered alphabetically by school)
  1. Charles Tufenkji, Secretary, Association of Amherst Students, Amherst College
  2. Elyse Adrian, Student Body President, Bowling Green State University
  3. Shane Dillon, Association of Amherst Students President, Amherst College
  4. Chloe Lee, Judiciary Council Chair, Association of Amherst Students, Amherst College
  5. Daniel Fleer, Senator, Amherst College
  6. Noah Gilman-Morgan, Senator, Amherst College
  7. Nicole Tran, Student Body President, Appalachian State University
  8. Courtney Castellow, Student Body Vice President, Appalachian State University
  9. David Itson, Director of Campus Resources, Appalachian State University
  10. Hampton Smith, Speaker of the Assembly, Appalachian State University 
  11. Willow Stewart, Chair of Academic Affairs, Brown University
  12. Adam Vinson, Student Assembly Executive Vice President, Cornell University
  13. Sowad Ocean Karim, President of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, Cornell University
  14. Nicholas Maggard, Student Assembly Deputy President, Cornell University
  15. Christian Flournoy, Student Assembly Executive Vice President, Cornell University 
  16. Niles Hite, Vice President for Finance, Cornell University 
  17. Tara Singh, Student Government President, Duke University
  18. Yash Sharma, Student Government Speaker of the Senate, Duke University
  19. Olivia Schramkowski, Vice President of Durham and Community Affairs, Duke University
  20. Anya Bratić, Executive President, Elon University
  21. Eron Maltzman, Executive President of United Student Government, Fordham University
  22. Mariam Nguyen, Student Body President, Furman University
  23. Caroline Orr, Student Body Treasurer, Furman University
  24. Maria Alejandra Romero Cuesta, Student Body President, George Mason University
  25. Jackson McAfee, Student Government Director of Communications, George Mason University
  26. Griffin Crouch, Undergraduate Representative and Committee Chair, George Mason University
  27. Anna Gnapp, Student Government Alliance President, Hamilton College
  28. Aditi Bonthu, Student Body President, Harvey Mudd College
  29. Simone Strickland Yang,  Student Body Senate Chair, Harvey Mudd College
  30. Jennifer Vidales, ASISU Vice President, Idaho State University
  31. Ivory Kendrick, Student Body President, Kent State University 
  32. Zachary Graves, Student Body Vice President, Kent State University
  33. Jessica Starkey, President- Emeritus, Kent State University
  34. Emily Lang, SGA Executive Board Treasurer, Massachusetts College of Art and Design
  35. Kathryn Harding, Student Body President, Michigan State University
  36. Teddy Warner, President, MIT Graduate Student Council, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  37. Benedikt Winkler, Director of Information Management, Northeastern Univeristy
  38. Olivia Oestreicher, Vice President for External Affairs, Northeastern University
  39. Jamal Omoniyi, Co-President, Northwestern University 
  40. Ryan Lien, Senator from the School of Communication, Northwestern University
  41. Chukwunonso Kojo Onwaeze, Campus Life Committee Chair, Northwestern University
  42. Madeline Rose Vartanian, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Senator, Northwestern University
  43. Meadow Neubauer-Keyes, Chair of Sustainability, Northwestern University 
  44. Rayan Lahlou-Nabil, Deputy Speaker of the House, Northwestern University
  45. James La Fayette Jr, Co-President of the Associated Student Government, Northwestern University
  46. Mia Quirino, Co- Executive Officer of External Relations, Northwestern University
  47. Kaitlyn Salgado-Alvarez, Speaker of the Senate, Northwestern University
  48. Melissa Kusi-Amponsah, Co-Chief of Staff, Northwestern University
  49. Audrey Schlotter, Student Body President, Oregon State University 
  50. Ella Hale, Student Body President, Pitzer College
  51. Brady Roland, President of ASPSU, Portland State University 
  52. Caidon Lewis, Judicial Board Chairperson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  53. Zackary Brown, Student Body President, Rowan University 
  54. Yuval Saar, Vice President of Student Advocacy and Community Belonging, Rowan University
  55. Eshaan Ali, Student Assembly SAS Class of 2027 Representative, Rutgers University
  56. Jui Khatal, Senator and Community Affairs Chair, Rutgers University
  57. Dina Abdelfattah, Douglass Senator, Rutgers University
  58. Christopher Godoy, Student Body President, Rutgers University
  59. Haseeb Rehman, Off Campus/Commuter Representative, Rutgers University
  60. Zuhayr Thange, Off Campus/Commuter Representative, Rutgers University
  61. Vinya Lingamneni, Student Body Parliamentarian & Class of 2026 Representative, Rutgers University
  62. Marilyn Jaya-Zaruma, Bloustein Representative, Rutgers University
  63. Alexis Leach, Comptroller, Syracuse University
  64. Alexis Wade, Co-Chief of Staff, The Ohio State University
  65. Isabel Prasad, Chief of Staff, UC Berkeley
  66. Alisha Mahajan, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, UC Berkeley
  67. Owen Meyers, External Vice President of Local Affairs, UC Santa Barbara
  68. Alvin Wang, Student Advocate General, UC Santa Barbara
  69. Elijah Jenkins, Student Body President, University of Chicago
  70. Timothy Lu, Executive Vice President, University of Chicago
  71. Aidan Keesler, College Council Representative, University of Chicago
  72. Demetrius Daniel, Vice-Chair of College Council, University of Chicago
  73. Anthony Buchfuhrer, College Council Representative and Committee Chair, University of Chicago
  74. Esther Ma, College Council Representative, University of Chicago
  75. Alex Fuentes, Chair of College Council, University of Chicago
  76. Andy Zhang, President, University of Connecticut
  77. Haritha Subramanian, Vice President of the Student Body, University of Connecticut
  78. Aila Alene Carr-Chellman, Student Government Association President, University of Dayton
  79. Jaden Farris, Baltimore County Student Government Association, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  80. Praise Korie, Director of Civic Engagement and Government Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  81. Shriya Menon, Finance Board Chair, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  82. Jaden Farris, Chief of Staff, Student Government Association, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  83. Donna Cazeau, Assistant Speaker to the Senate, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  84. Colin Humphries, Student Government Association President, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  85. Naomi Bloom, Chief of Staff, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  86. Julie Hammond, Associate Speaker of the Graduate Student Senate, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  87. Ian Tincknell, Graduate Student Government Treasurer, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  88. Sarah Lapin, Secretary of University Relations and Media Communications for the Graduate Student Government, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  89. Eric L. Veal Jr., Student Body President, University of Michigan
  90. Allister Dias, Student Body President, University of Nevada-Las Vegas
  91. Liv Barefoot, Student Body President, University of North Carolina at Asheville
  92. Alondra Barrera-Hernandez, Student Body Vice President, University of North Carolina at Asheville
  93. Adolfo Alvarez, Student Body President, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
  94. Leah Frazier, Graduate and Professional Student Government President, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
  95. Katie Fiore, Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Body, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
  96. Christopher McClanahan, Speaker of the Undergraduate Senate, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
  97. Hashem Amireh, Speaker of the Graduate and Professional Senate, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  98. Andrew Forbes, Treasurer of the Undergraduate Student Body, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  99. Pranav Nemani, Undergraduate Chief of the Cabinet, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  100. Devin Duncan, Student Body Secretary, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  101. Erin L Cuellar Wright, Graduate and Professional Student Government Vice President of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  102. Neil Sharma, Graduate Director of Academic Affairs, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  103. Samantha Schild, Graduate and Professional Student Government Director of Health and Wellness, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  104. Sabrina Rahim, UNC Gillings School of Public Health Student Government Association Global Health Cohort Representative, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
  105. Trey Mazza, Student Body President, University of North Carolina School of the Arts
  106. Alfred Dozier IV, Undergraduate Student Body & Student Government Association President, University of North Texas
  107. Jaidyn Watkins, Undergraduate Student Body and Student Government Association Vice President, University of North Texas
  108. Prissila Moreno, President-Elect, University of Oregon 
  109. Ravi Cullop, Chief of Staff, University of Oregon
  110. Samaah Mohammed, Programs Finance Committee Senator, University of Oregon
  111. Erin Luedemann, Student Senator, University of Oregon
  112. Rain Baumann, Senator, University of Oregon
  113. Daphne Patrick, Secretary of Student Organizations, University of Oregon
  114. Bella Esbeck, Chair of the Academic Committee & Senate, University of Oregon
  115. Avery Cassler, Executive ASUO Director of Advocacy, University of Oregon
  116. Joanne Wu, Student Government Senator from the School of Psychology, University of Oregon
  117. Kylie Baker, Student Government Executive Board Member, University of Pittsburgh
  118. Chukwudalu Dumebi-Kachikwu, Student Government Executive Board Member, University of Pittsburgh
  119. Andrew Elliott, Student Government Executive Board Member, University of Pittsburgh
  120. Elijah Bader-Gregory, Students' Association President, University of Rochester
  121. Devin Schwartz, Student Government President, University of Texas at Dallas
  122. Amber Fairchild, Student Body President, University of North Carolina at Greensboro 
  123. Anna Locke, Chair of the Legislative Assembly for the College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah
  124. Alta Fairbourne, Graduate and Professional Development Subcommittee Chair, University of Utah 
  125. Paige Moon, Vice President of Student Relations, University of Utah
  126. Erik Bond, Assembly Secretary, Assembly Representative of the Price College of Engineering, University of Utah
  127. Ethan Hepworth, Legislative Assembly Representative of the College of Social & Behavioral Science, University of Utah
  128. Pete Benda, Assembly Member, University of Utah 
  129. Aidan McMillan, Deputy Chief of Staff, University of Utah
  130. Ty Martinez, Deputy Chief of Staff, University of Utah
  131. Dillan Burnett, Chair of Arts & Recreation Subcommittee, University of Utah
  132. Alice Parker, Legislative Assembly Parliamentarian, University of Utah
  133. Clay Dickerson, Student Body President, University of Virginia
  134. Micah Andrews, Chief of Support and Access Services, University of Virginia
  135. Emily Frost, Director of University Relations, University of Virginia
  136. Saehee Perez, Chief of Cabinet, University of Virginia
  137. Dominic Zappia, President & Chair, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  138. Hananeel Morinville, Student Body President, Vanderbilt University
  139. Ellie Kearns, Student Body Vice President, Vanderbilt University
  140. Nicole Reynaga, Chief of Staff, Vanderbilt University
  141. Maddy Funk, Secretary of State, Virginia Commonwealth University
  142. Summer Neil, Secretary of the Interior, Virginia Commonwealth University
  143. Natalie Bowen, Student Government Press Secretary, Virginia Commonwealth University
  144. Hannah Elluru, Student Body President Wake Forest University
  145. Bayla Sheshadri, Student Government Secretary, Wake Forest University
  146. Wyatt Strassmann, Speaker of the House, Wake Forest University
  147. Lillie Davenport, Chief of Staff, Wake Forest University
  148. Shelby Balmer, Student Government Treasurer, Wake Forest University 
  149. Zoe Wang, Student Body President, William and Mary
  150. Esma Akram, Chief of Staff, William and Mary
  151. Matt Swenson, Student Body Vice President, William and Mary
We continue to accept signatures from elected student leaders across the country. Last updated at 4:30 p.m. ET on May 12, 2025.

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