Raw data from the responses we received on the Hopkins administration survey

Over the past two weeks, we have received a remarkable number of responses from across the university—through the dedicated email, direct emails, or individual meetings and conversations. Many faculty used the sample responses to share their agreement with the points raised in the guide. Other responses ranged from boycotting the survey (including active boycotts by documenting their decision with us or in the university survey) to demanding that Hopkins boycott the “Call to Action,” to proposing that the university issue sets of principles that represent our values, to offering point-by-point responses to the different questions. Yet, every response shared a deep and unwavering commitment to academic freedom and a serious concern about threats to the independence of higher education.

A guide to answering university survey regarding Compact 2.0

On August 3rd, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon issued a letter to university presidents and governing boards. She called on universities and colleges to publicly commit to a laundry list of demands, including hiring more conservative faculty and preventing students from exercising their First Amendment rights to protest.

In his interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, Johns Hopkins President Ronald Daniels recognizes the critical moment facing US higher education. The Trump administration’s unprecedented attacks on higher education extend beyond funding cuts to target due process, university independence, and academic freedom. As Michael Ignatieff, former president of the Central European University, wrote, “When a university is attacked, everyone’s freedom is attacked. That’s a message American college presidents should adopt as their own.” At this crucial moment, the AAU and a number of university presidents, including President Daniels, bypassed shared governance structures to participate in drafting the Trump administration’s Compact 2.0, thereby threatening the independence of higher education institutions, academic freedom, meritocracy, and freedom of expression on campus.

Across Hopkins' schools, unit chairs and directors have been asked to cut discretionary budgets to varying degrees, depending on the school and unit and how they are affected by budget shortfalls. 

Since receiving Vice Provost Shannon Shumpert’s email on July 2nd about new OIE policies on Title VI enforcement, we have discussed it with National AAUP counsel, with ACLU Maryland, and with other colleagues and allies. We also heard from many faculty members across Hopkins’ different schools, who have shared their concerns and ideas.