Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 15h

As a reminder: the Nazis ruthlessly targeted union leaders as well as leaders of the Social Democratic and Communist Party with imprisonment and murder. They claimed they were domestic terrorists, and used pretenses like the Reichstag Fire, to mobilize the police. Sound familiar?

3

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

Veena Dubal @veenadubal.bsky.social · 5d

“Mr. Rowan, who is chief executive of Apollo Global Management, and Stephen A. Schwarzman, the chief executive of Blackstone — are helping shape seismic discussions related to the Trump administration’s campaign to upend American campuses.”

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/u...

The Billionaire Behind Trump’s Deal for Universities

www.nytimes.com

3 14 16

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 5d

2

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 5d

Check out me & @chenjerai.bsky.social & Lorena Grundy of @aaup-penn.bsky.social break down the new Trump compact for higher ed…. Otherwise known as loyalty oaths. This is AAUP TV. @aaup.org @aft.org @higheredlabor.bsky.social www.youtube.com/live/RB1FLkR...

Breaking Down Trump's New Higher Ed Loyalty Oath Compacts and Why We Must Resist

YouTube video by TheAAUP

www.youtube.com

17 27

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 6d

As president of @aaup.org I stand with Governor Newsom. Every single democratic governor should follow suit

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · 6d

IF ANY CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY SIGNS THIS RADICAL AGREEMENT, THEY'LL LOSE BILLIONS IN STATE FUNDING — INCLUDING CAL GRANTS — INSTANTLY.

CALIFORNIA WILL NOT BANKROLL SCHOOLS THAT SELL OUT THEIR STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, RESEARCHERS, AND SURRENDER ACADEMIC FREEDOM.

New York Times: "Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Sign ‘Compact’ to Get Funding Preference."

The White House asked nine top universities to pledge support for President Trump’s agenda to help ensure access to research funding.

1 32 88

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · 6d

Trump's offer to give preferential treatment to colleges and universities that this govt favors in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological agenda stinks of favoritism,patronage & bribery.
It is entirely corrupt. @ProfTWolf.bsky.social @AAUP.org 🧵

www.aft.org/press-releas...

AAUP’s Wolfson and AFT’s Weingarten on Trump’s Loyalty Pledge for Colleges and Universities

WASHINGTON—AAUP President Todd Wolfson and AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement slamming the Trump administration’s ideological litmus test for higher education. The two affil...

www.aft.org

4 21 41

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 6d

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · 6d

Trump's offer to give preferential treatment to colleges and universities that this govt favors in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological agenda stinks of favoritism,patronage & bribery.
It is entirely corrupt. @ProfTWolf.bsky.social @AAUP.org 🧵

www.aft.org/press-releas...

AAUP’s Wolfson and AFT’s Weingarten on Trump’s Loyalty Pledge for Colleges and Universities

WASHINGTON—AAUP President Todd Wolfson and AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement slamming the Trump administration’s ideological litmus test for higher education. The two affil...

www.aft.org

2 4

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

AFT @aft.org · 6d

"The federal government should not, under any circumstances, dictate who goes to college, what can be researched, or learned, and what can or can’t be the subject of critical academic inquiry." - AFT President @rweingarten.bsky.social & @aaup.org President @proftwolf.bsky.social

AAUP’s Wolfson and AFT’s Weingarten on Trump’s Loyalty Pledge for Colleges and Universities

WASHINGTON—AAUP President Todd Wolfson and AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement slamming the Trump administration’s ideological litmus test for higher education. The two affil...

www.aft.org

1 23 50

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 6d

Mussolini also demanded loyalty oaths from his universities and faculty. It is time to WAKE UP!

www.clickondetroit.com/news/politic...

Trump asks 9 colleges to commit to his political agenda and get favorable access to federal money

The White House is asking nine major universities to commit to President Donald Trump’s political priorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money.

www.clickondetroit.com

2 6

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

Veena Dubal @veenadubal.bsky.social · 8d

WE WON: "This case -– perhaps the most important ever to fall w/in..this district court squarely presents the issue whether non-citizens lawfully present here in US..have the same free speech rights as the rest of us. The Court answers this Constitutional question unequivocally “yes, they do.”"

33 650 2.5K

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 8d

The Trump administration’s attempt to deport students for their political views is an assault on the Constitution and a betrayal of American values. @knightcolumbia.org, @ruaaup-aft.bsky.social Harvard & NYU AAUP, MESA & @aaup.org. All praise to @veenadubal.bsky.social

AAUP @aaup.org · 8d

BREAKING: WE WON!!!
💥 💥 💥

Federal Judge William G. Young ruled today in our lawsuit against the Trump administration that the policy of arresting, detaining, & deporting noncitizen students & faculty members for their pro-Palestinian advocacy violates the 1st Amendment.

Full ruling here:

Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law – #261 in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio (D. Mass., 1:25-cv-10685) – CourtListener.com

Judge William G. Young: ORDER entered. FINDINGS OF FACT AND RULINGS OF LAW, PURSUANT TO FED. R. CIV. P. 52(A)(Sonnenberg, Elizabeth) (Additional attachment(s) added on 9/30/2025: # 1 Main Document) (J...

www.courtlistener.com

9 26

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

AAUP @aaup.org · 15d

The AAUP stands for what we always stood for: a powerful higher education sector that leads to innovation, social mobility, and is a bedrock of democracy.

Read AAUP Todd Wolfson’s Q & A published this week in the Chronicle of Higher Ed.

www.chronicle.com/article/is-t...

@proftwolf.bsky.social

41 110

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 13d

Where are the 1200 ICE detainees from Alligator Alcatraz? amp.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

Hundreds of Alligator Alcatraz detainees drop off the grid after leaving site

As of the end of August, the whereabouts of two-thirds of more than 1,800 men detained at Alligator Alcatraz during the month of July could not be determined by the Miami Herald.

amp.miamiherald.com

1 3

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 19d

LFG!!!!

AAUP @aaup.org · 20d

“We will not allow authoritarians to dismantle higher education. We will not allow billionaires to profit while communities suffer. And we will not allow fear to silence students and workers who speak out.”

— Todd Wolfson, AAUP President

#DefendHigherEd
#HigherEdBenefitsEveryone
@aft.org

1 6

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 19d

❤️❤️

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · 19d

We will not stand by as the Trump administration destroys one of the largest public university higher education systems in the country and bludgeons academic freedom at the University of California..." @ProfTWolf.bsky.social www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/n...

UC workers, students sue Trump administration over UCLA settlement demands

A collection of 21 unions and faculty organizations sued the Trump administration over its $1.2 billion fine against UCLA.

www.cbsnews.com

1 2

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 22d

And we are represented by @democracyforward.org and Altschuler

2

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 22d

I almost forgot @nationalnurses.bsky.social

1 1

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · 22d

A coalition of higher ed unions jointly filed a lawsuit against the Trump admin for the threats to the University of California including @uaw4811.bsky.social @afscme3299.bsky.social @uptecwa.bsky.social @ucaft.bsky.social @teamsterslocal2010.bsky.social @aaup.org @aft.org @uaw.org and CUCFA.

AAUP @aaup.org · 22d

BREAKING:

A historic coalition of national & California labor unions led by the AAUP filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration challenging the illegal & coercive use of civil rights laws to attack the University of California system & the rights of their members.

UC employees, not waiting on leaders, sue Trump for 'financial coercion' over UCLA cuts

University of California faculty, students and staff on Tuesday sued President Trump over a $1.2-million penalty against UCLA and federal demands over campus changes. They argued that the actions camp...

www.latimes.com

1 25 79

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

BrieAnna Frank @brieannafrank.bsky.social · 26d

Thanks for chatting with me @thefireorg.bsky.social @tomginsburg.bsky.social @aaup.org @freespeechcenter.bsky.social @proftwolf.bsky.social @usatoday.com

1 3

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

Randi Weingarten 🖇️📚✊🇺🇸 @rweingarten.bsky.social · Sep 5

Let’s be clear: There should be no space for rehabilitating Hitler. The antisemitism on the right goes unchecked and it is horrific. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

The MAGA Influencers Rehabilitating Hitler

A growing constituency on the right wants America to unlearn the lessons of World War II.

www.theatlantic.com

2 31 85

Todd Wolfson @proftwolf.bsky.social · Sep 4

Hey @harvard.edu, @aaup.org's thrilled by our shared ruling. But, I'd love to understand President Garber's response: Harvard will “continue to assess the implications of the opinion, monitor further legal developments, and be mindful of the changing landscape.." What changing landscape?Fascism?

2 19 140

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

AAUP @aaup.org · Sep 4

In April, the AAUP & our Harvard chapter sued the Trump admin for demanding that Harvard censor speech & restructure core operations or else face $8.7 billion in funding cuts.

We hope this decision clarifies to Harvard’s administration that bargaining w/ tyrannical authoritarians is unacceptable.

2 83 200

Reposted by Todd Wolfson

AAUP @aaup.org · Sep 1

The AAUP believes that unions provide the best way for higher education workers to fulfill our duty to the wider public to ensure higher education contributes to the common good.

Happy Labor Day!

#DefendHigherEd