News from AFT Higher Ed Archive

Standing together on May Day

College and university faculty, students, staff and unionists across the country mobilized on May 1 for International Workers Day, standing in solidarity for workers’ rights and against oligarchy, repression and the decimation of higher education. As academic research; equity; freedom of speech; and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts continue to face threats from the current presidential administration, the AFT and its members will continue to fight to strengthen higher education and cut a path toward justice.

Defending academic freedom with a bold vision

The threat is real: The Trump administration is slashing research funding, pressing for ideological conformity and targeting programs that expand opportunity. That's why the AFT is running a pro-higher education campaign tackling this problem on all fronts. It's also why AFT President Randi Weingarten and American Association of University Professors President Todd Wolfson write about the challenges facing higher education today, and the efforts to fight back and rebuild it. The leaders explain in the Spring 2026 issue of American Educator, "We have a responsibility to advance a bold, collective vision of higher education as a democratic, accessible and transformative public good."

Join us to explore how we strengthen and transform higher ed

Since our "Saving Lives, Building Futures, Powering the Economy" campaign’s launch in September, AAUP and AFT members have successfully lobbied Congress to protect science research funding. We fought back against the Trump higher education "compact"—and won! We organized and turned out for days of action such as "No Kings" and May Day. We achieved collective bargaining rights for thousands of nontenure-track faculty, researchers and staff in Maryland. And we launched our new higher ed policy platform, "A Blueprint for Strengthening and Transforming Higher Education." Join AFT President Randi Weingarten, AAUP President Todd Wolfson and member-activists in a virtual meeting on May 18 at 4 p.m. to learn more about our historic victories during the campaign's first year and ways you can get involved as we prepare for the 2026 midterm elections. Image credit: nadla / iStock / Getty Images Plus.

Bold new blueprint to protect higher ed

As the Trump administration continues to attack colleges and universities—cutting research grants, targeting free speech and restricting course classroom materials—the AFT and the American Association of University Professors have unveiled a powerful new blueprint to rebuild and strengthen higher education, just in time for the 2026 midterms. We've already made progress expanding access to unionization at the state level, and growing the number of AFT higher ed affiliates nationwide. To learn about the four pillars of our blueprint—students’ right to learn; affordable access to college; faculty input in university priorities; and collective bargaining rights—click here.