Labor groups sue Trump admin over University of California funding threats 

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — A coalition of University of California labor groups claimed in a lawsuit filed Tuesday the Trump administration is using the threat of federal funding cuts to “coerce” the university system into implementing ideological policies that infringe on the free speech and academic freedom of UC faculty, students and staff.

“Through a series of actions targeting institutions of higher education, the Trump administration is attempting to coerce colleges and universities across the country to do what the Trump administration cannot do directly itself: infringe on the speech rights of faculty, academic and other staff, and students,” the plaintiffs wrote in their complaint filed in federal court in the Northern District of California.

The plaintiffs include the American Association of University Professors, the American Federation of Teachers, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the Teamsters, United Auto Workers, and several campus-specific faculty associations. They are represented by Democracy Forward and San Francisco-based law firm Altshuler Berzon.

In a statement, AAUP President Todd Wolfson said they would not stand by as the Trump administration “bludgeons academic freedom.”

“In this historic lawsuit, faculty, students, and staff walk together to fight the authoritarian takeover of our universities. We stand hand in hand to protect not only our individual rights to free expression, debate, and association, but also to safeguard the health, safety, and economic mobility of our communities — all of which is at risk,” he said.

The union groups say the government is “taking aim” at the UC, which receives $17 billion annually in federal funding — around one-third of the university’s operating budget. They say the administration’s campaign against the university started by cancelling hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research grants, citing diversity, equity, and inclusion concerns.

Then, the government froze or terminated over $500 million more from research projects at the University of California, Los Angeles under the pretext of an investigation into reports of antisemitism.

“The administration has made clear its intention to commandeer this public university system and to purge from its campuses viewpoints with which the President and his administration disagree,” the plaintiffs say in their complaint.

ATF President Randi Weingarten said that the government’s demands will not “eradicate antisemitism,” but instead “make things worse for Jewish students by making things worse for everyone.”

“Let’s be clear: we should tackle antisemitism and other acts of hate and discrimination. But these illegal demands on the University of California are intended to punish an esteemed institution by crippling economic opportunity and hindering the open pursuit of knowledge — the core purpose of our colleges and universities,” she said.

The plaintiffs say that the government demanded in an Aug. 8 letter that the university “cede control over curriculum, faculty hiring and promotion, and university admissions to the federal government and its government-appointed monitor.”

The letter also requested that the university adopt restrictions on protest and other expressive activity; disclose student disciplinary records; eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion measures; announce that it does not recognize transgender individuals; and end gender-inclusive policies and gender-affirming medical care to minors, along with paying at least $1 billion to the federal government.

White House Assistant Press Secretary Liz Huston said, “If there’s any sign that federal funds are padding unreasonable overhead fees rather than serving the American public, this is it. This bunch of victimhood seeking professors have been laughed out of court once already, but keep trying their failed arguments. The American public deserves responsible stewardship of federal dollars, and the Trump Administration intends to fulfil that promise.”

In June, a federal judge found that UC researchers are likely to succeed on their separate claims that the Trump administration’s mass termination of research grants involving certain blacklisted topics like “diversity” and “equity” are unconstitutional and antithetical to Congress’ directives.

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