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Faculty member urges UConn trustees to speak out as federal orders target universities
Summary
A member of UConn's English faculty told the Board of Trustees that recent federal executive directives and a "dear colleague" letter threaten the institution's research, accreditation and diversity work; university leaders said they are monitoring the orders and supporting affected students and researchers.
Kathleen Tonnery, an English faculty member, used the public-participation slot at the Board of Trustees meeting to urge trustees and senior leaders to “speak more directly and more boldly” about federal executive orders she said are targeting universities and higher-education programs.
Tonnery said the federal blueprint she reviewed “models itself explicitly on the authoritarian regime of Viktor Orban’s Hungary” and warned the plan aims to cut federal grant support and to dismantle accreditation, federal student loan programs, Title IX and parts of the research enterprise. “It is a full throated attack,” she said.
Why it matters: Trustees, administrators and faculty said the board must balance legal caution with public-facing advocacy because changes at the federal level could affect grant funding, accreditation and student support. In response to public concern, university leaders said they are actively monitoring the federal actions and offering direct support to students and researchers.
Provost D'Alayba told the board the university is coordinating closely with the general counsel’s office and the state attorney general to understand the effect of executive orders and other federal directives. “We joined 22 other states to challenge the change in IDC returns, with the NIH, and we were particularly commended for the documentation that we put forward about the impact of those changes,” the provost said, noting the office of the vice president for research has been working around the clock to protect the research enterprise.
The provost and other senior staff described a range of student-facing supports already in place: the Dean of Students Office, Student Health and Wellness, student success units and cultural centers have held open Q&A sessions and are offering one-on-one help to students who feel directly affected by federal policy changes. Senate leadership also reported sustained communication with senior administrators and offered to continue serving as a conduit for campus concerns.
Leaders repeatedly emphasized they would avoid premature public legal claims but said they would continue to brief the campus and to coordinate with external legal counsel where appropriate. The board accepted the public comment and discussed next steps in follow-up meetings and committee channels.
Ending: Trustees asked the administration to continue providing regular updates about federal actions' operational impacts — especially on grants, accreditation processes and financial supports for students — and to notify the board when specific legal or policy responses are recommended or required.
