Federal policy changes: Attend the MTA higher ed member meeting- join the higher ed working group to fight back!

2/25/2025

Dear Members, 

Over the past month the attacks launched by the federal administration have hit higher education raising concerns about federal research funding, DEI programs and policies, and the safety of our immigrant students, staff, and communities.

Join in Determining Actions to Take

To meet these attacks, higher ed unions have been bringing together members from across all our local chapters to figure out how we can stand together and fight back! We will be meeting every Thursday morning to continue this work.

·      WHEN/WHERE - Every Thursday we will meet on zoom alternating between a 30 min. session (9:00-9:30) and a 60 min. session (8:30-9:30). On Thursday, Feb. 27 we will be meeting from 9:00-9:30. The March 6th meeting will be 8:30 to 9:30AM

·      WHAT ARE THESE MEETINGS - These will be working meetings where we will collectively determine demands, targets, and actions that members across the Massachusetts public higher education system can take to create change.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND - Any member who wants to be involved and is willing to take on this collective work is welcome! If this is YOU, please share your contact information with us (contact FSU or Caroline Coscia for information).  We will then provide you with the meeting zoom.

MTA Higher Ed All Member Meeting, Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 7:00 to 7:45 p.m. 

From grant funding to DEI to immigrant rights, higher education is under attack.  This meeting will provide a baseline for what executive orders and other actions do—and don’t do— discuss some things WE CAN DO TOGETHER AS MTA MEMBERS to protect students, programs, and our campus communities.   Register Here for the link

Featuring:

·       Alice O’Brien, NEA General Counsel

              Guidance on OCR’s Dear Colleague Letter 

·       James Racine, MTA Legal Council

Overview of the executive orders that impact higher education institutions the most.  What they do, what they don’t do, and what is their legal status.

·        MTA President Max Page

Organizing to fight back

·        Todd Wolfson, President, American Association of University Professors, founder Higher Education Labor United

Higher Ed Labor United (HELU): a coalition of higher education unions fighting together to protect higher education

WHEN HIGHER ED IS UNDER ATTACK, WHAT DO WE DO? STAND UP! FIGHT BACK!  

JOIN US IN THIS FIGHT!

Sincerely,

Caroline Coscia                             Sana Haroon

Senior Lecturer II                            Professor

Political Science Department          History Department

President                                        Vice President