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Reposted by Gregg Gonsalves

Joshua Weitz @joshuasweitz.bsky.social · 20h

More are united around a simple message: RFK Jr should not be HHS Sec. His decisions undermine our public health capacity and put lives and health at risk.

As 6 former Surgeon Generals argue:

"He has rejected science, misled the public and compromised the health of Americans."

🎁
wapo.st/3VTALll

Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans

It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

wapo.st

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Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 3d

I thought I'd put the administration's proposed "compact" with universities in context, so I wrote the blog post below.

It's especially for journalists covering this story!

Many details about how the compact itself works and why the administration has retreated to this strategy.

Balkinization: The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal

A group blog on constitutional law, theory, and politics

balkin.blogspot.com

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Mychal Threets @mychal3ts.bsky.social · 9h

PRAY FOR DOLLY PARTON ❤️‍🩹

Freida Parton, sister of Dolly Parton, asks for prayers for Dolly’s health. She says with prayers she know Dolly is going to be just fine.

We all love you, Dolly! Praying 💛

people.com/dolly-parton-sister-was-up-all-night-praying-for-singer-amid-health-struggles-11826073

A happy Dolly Parton reads books aloud to happy kids

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Threelittlekit6 @lafitton.bsky.social · 18h

@gregggonsalves.bsky.social
Thought you might want to see this if you have not already.
newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Siva @sivav.bsky.social · 22h

I wrote about the “compact” for higher education

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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cvilledems.bsky.social @cvilledems.bsky.social · 17h

A magnificent tour force from @sivav.bsky.social.

Can we make sure that Paul Mahoney and every member of the Board of Visitors reads it?

Matthew Kirschenbaum @mkirschenbaum.bsky.social · 19h

This, from @sivav.bsky.social, is the mic drop reply to the “Compact” you have been waiting for. It won’t, but it should really just end the discussion and deliberations straight up. newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Mike Godwin @mnemonic.bsky.social · 17h

Siva Vaidhyanathan: "Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down" newrepublic.com/article/2013... via @newrepublic.com

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Deborah McDowell @dem8z.bsky.social · 20h

“Any university leader who signs on to this compact wld betray everything good and solid about the university & would do deep and permanent harm to the United States & the world.”

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down newrepublic.com/article/2013... via @newrepublic.com

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 21h

#highered @wearehighered.bsky.social

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 22h

And Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg's piece here, if you haven't seen it. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

A Compact for Control (opinion)

No self-respecting institution of higher education should accept the Trump administration’s unconstitutional terms, Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg write.

www.insidehighered.com

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 22h

And now @acls1919.bsky.social speaks out. Just. Say. No. To Trump's compact on higher ed. It's extortion plain and simple. www.acls.org/news/acls-st...

ACLS Statement Regarding White House “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education”

ACLS stands firmly against this latest White House effort to divide faculties by giving special privileges to students in “hard science programs” and its demand that institutions abolish “units that p...

www.acls.org

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

7/14

The indirect cost issue had demonstrated that pushing back works. The administration lost lawsuits, and Congress reasserted its authorities to determine indirect cost rate policies. Some individuals and groups did sue the government over the diversity and other grant terminations and won in the court of William Young, a veteran judge first appointed by Ronald Reagan. Judge Young ruled that the terminations were illegal and, in addition, made a powerful speech calling out what he saw as the worst discrimination he had witnessed in over 40 years on the bench. This ruling was appealed to the Supreme Court which ruled that these terminations were likely illegal but then stayed Judge Young’s order that the grants be reinstated, in a fragmented 5-4, shadow docket ruling that even Supreme Court justices called out as being nakedly partisan. The final outcomes for these grants remain uncertain.

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

6/14

In communicating with some of the scientists affected by grant terminations, it was striking (but not surprising) that many felt abandoned by their institutions and the scientific establishment at large. This was fueled, in part, by the contrast between this acquiescence and the rapid institutional responses, including lawsuits, after the administration had proposed a cap on the rate of reimbursement for so-called indirect costs of research. The scientific establishment had the capacity to push back vigorously when some of their values (financial viability) were threatened but could not seem to muster much energy when other principles were under assault.

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

5/14

The programs had very broad eligibility criteria that included being a member of a racial or ethnic group that was historically underrepresented in research, but eligibility also included those from disadvantaged educational or socioeconomic backgrounds and those with a physical disability or other factors, or just an interest in working on the biomedical workforce. These grants were not awarded through illegal, “racial preference” programs, but rather through highly competitive, merit-based processes. But rather than articulating and defending these goals and processes, many parts of the scientific establishment seemed to be rushing to violate one of the first tenets of historian Timothy Snyder’s important book On Tyranny: Do not obey in advance.

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

4/14

Early on, I was deeply troubled to learn that many grants awarded through NIH mechanisms related to “diversity” were slated for wholesale termination. I saw stunning reactions from many in the scientific establishment. Universities, scientific societies, and private funding agencies rapidly took down webpages with statements about the importance of diversity and representation in the scientific workforce, and some cancelled programs; others just remained silent or rebranded such programs with new language. I found this distressing because these programs are not motivated by vague “social justice” goals, but rather with specific objectives related to engaging scientific talent from across our nation, diversification of perspectives on research questions, and, in some cases, building capacity to understand and address health disparities.

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

3/14

It is not that I fail to understand the pressures such leaders face. I have served as a department chair at a major medical school, director of one of the NIH institutes, Editor-in-Chief of Science magazine, and as in a strategic leadership position at a major university. I recognize the risk that standing up for core principles might trigger retribution. But remaining quiet is, in my view, misguided. Silence may protect an institution from becoming an early target, but history shows that it increases the likelihood that that institution (and many others) will be become targets over time.

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

2/14

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment
When the new administration came into power, I expected contentious discussions about specific policy issues, and the possibility of reorganizations and budget cuts at science agencies. However, I did not fully anticipate the disruption of time-tested grant review processes, mass termination of grants based on political considerations, large-scale firing of government staff without cause, and other assaults on science that have taken place. I also did not expect the striking silence from leaders of the scientific establishment.

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 1d

I have been trying to get this published as an op-ed, but I am going to post it here since I think it is timely in light of the "consent" extortion events.

Deafening Quiet from the Scientific Establishment

jeremymberg.github.io/jeremyberg.g...

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jeremymberg.github.io

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 22h

Our new paper on extreme heat and overdose across the United States. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

Heat exposure and drug overdose mortality in the USA

Background and aims Understanding the relationship between heat and drug overdose mortality is critical given the ongoing overdose crisis and rising global temperatures driven by climate change. Evi...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 23h

A terrific piece from two of our country's leading experts on the first amendment, academic freedom and free speech.

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 23h

A Compact for Control:
No self-respecting institution of higher education should accept the Trump administration’s unconstitutional terms, Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg write.
@yalelawschool-yls.bsky.social @uchicagolaw.bsky.social
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

A Compact for Control (opinion)

No self-respecting institution of higher education should accept the Trump administration’s unconstitutional terms, Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg write.

www.insidehighered.com

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 23h

A Compact for Control:
No self-respecting institution of higher education should accept the Trump administration’s unconstitutional terms, Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg write.
@yalelawschool-yls.bsky.social @uchicagolaw.bsky.social
www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...

A Compact for Control (opinion)

No self-respecting institution of higher education should accept the Trump administration’s unconstitutional terms, Robert Post and Tom Ginsburg write.

www.insidehighered.com

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 1d

An important statement from #MIT faculty on Trump’s compact. #JustSayNo @nancykanwisher.bsky.social

Nancy Kanwisher @nancykanwisher.bsky.social · 1d

I am proud of MIT, where our branch of AAUP has voted unanimously to endorse this statement urging MIT leadership and the MIT Corporation to reject the Compact wholesale
docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Letter Regarding Compact

MIT Chapter of the American Association of University Professors October 6, 2025 Statement on the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education” MIT has been invited by the federal governmen...

docs.google.com

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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 1d

What Americans Die from?

And what the media reports on...

Our World in Data ourworldindata.org/does-the-new...

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 1d

“No one man can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices.” -Edward R. Murrow

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Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · 1d

Danielle Allen's piece is unhelpful. It assumes the White House/Congress are good-faith partners, but also genuflects to conservative criticisms to establish her own bona fides as a bridge builder, someone the White House can deal with. It is deeply misguided, naive and troubling.

Joey Fishkin @fishkin.bsky.social · 1d

The collective action that thee nine universities need to take is to unequivocally reject the compact.

Danielle Allen, who is a wonderful and thoughtful person, seems to be imagining possibilities for good faith negotiations here that plainly do not exist. The government does not share her goal.

Mary Lewis @profmarylewis.bsky.social · 2d

Danielle Allen has proposed many good things for Harvard, so I’m puzzled by her reading of the word “compact” here, as if this would be an agreement freely entered into. She rightly says that, as written, this shouldn’t be agreed to. Maybe leave it there? therenovator.substack.com/p/why-im-exc...

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