In recent steps, both college President Ian Baucom and Middlebury faculty affirmed their commitment to maintaining academic freedom on campus in response to recent threats to the federal funding of higher education by the Trump administration.
Across two plenary faculty meetings in May, 114 professors debated and passed Sense of the Faculty Motion sponsored by the AAUP Executive Committee titled “On Meeting the Moment” with 93% support. The motion urges the Board of Trustees and administrators to make a number of specific commitments to defend Middlebury against potential targeting by the federal government.
So far, Trump has focused his assault on larger universities such as Columbia, Northwestern and Brown, but has affirmed plans to transform higher education in the U.S. by exerting influence over academic content and shrinking or eliminating some of its core aspects, such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs and opportunities for international students.
The motion demands the college commit to drawing from its endowment to protect academic freedom and freedom of expression if made necessary, using those funds to replace federal money that Trump could repeal through executive orders. Black Studies and Gender Studies are two areas the administration has called “woke” and stifling of free expression. Environmental Studies is also under threat as Trump continues to deny realities of climate change.
The motion recommends Middlebury ensure access to legal counsel for community members targeted by the U.S. government for free political speech or exercising freedom in their academic fields, as well as for members of the international community who may face arbitrary visa revocations, arrests or deportation.
It also suggests the college prepare to legally challenge unlawful demands by the federal government to compromise any curricular or administrative autonomy, a step Harvard took that led to their victory in the U.S. District Court last week.
Before the vote, which took place at a meeting over Zoom, professors spoke to their reasoning for supporting the motion. While the motion commends President Baucom for signing a letter condemning the Trump administration’s recent demands of colleges and universities as “unprecedented government overreach and political interference,” some argued that the college had not done enough thus far to support faculty. A professor involved in climate research shared their views on the shortcomings.
“I really feel that, as we've encountered these unprecedented and escalating threats to our work as teachers and researchers, that there has been a real absence of leadership, or even basic recognition from the Middlebury administration and in particular from the Office of Grants and Sponsored Programs,” they said.
Some faculty members expressed concerns that passing this motion and allowing it to be public would draw unwanted attention to the college, which has not thus far faced direct scrutiny from the government. But others argued that inaction would not be an appropriate response.
“We know a lot about fascism now… And if you look at Timothy Snyder's work or any of the experts on fascism, silence is not how you approach it,” a faculty member said.
Faculty members claimed the motion would help inform the administration going forward about their expectations, arguing that openness would keep community members safer.
“I think, with know your rights campaigns, everybody, particularly people that might not feel directly affected or directly at risk, being completely informed of what's going on, I think it's a step into safety,” another professor said.
When President Baucom spoke directly to faculty at their first meeting of the school year at the Bread Loaf Campus on Sept. 5, he did not directly address the motion, but pointedly stated his commitment to academic freedom for Middlebury. Faculty members responded to his speech with a standing ovation.
“I will defend in every way I can, the vitality, urgency, and academic freedom of Black studies, gender studies, climate studies, and any field of academic inquiry coming under political pressure,” Baucom said.
Madeleine Kaptein '25.5 (she/her) is the Editor in Chief.
Madeleine previously served as a managing editor, local editor, staff writer and copy editor. She is a Comparative Literature major with a focus on German and English literatures and was a culture journalism intern at Seven Days for the summer of 2025.
