The Trump administration has been waging war on colleges and universities by defunding life-saving research and attempting to dictate what institutions can teach and what students and faculty can say. 

Now, Trump is weaponizing Title IV federal student aid, threatening to take away the $275 billion that more than half of the nation’s students rely on to attend college. Through threats that link accreditation and eligibility for federal dollars to compliance with political demands, millions of students could lose access to Pell Grants, work-study, and federal loans. 

Even temporary disruptions to this aid could push students out of school, deepen debt burdens, and destabilize campuses and communities alike. This is not just an attack on colleges and universities—it is a direct attack on opportunity, democracy, and working people’s access to a better future.

Here at the Emergency Campaign, we believe higher education should be affordable, relevant, and accessible to all, including public universities, community colleges, and technical and vocational programs. 

We also believe that making college affordable and accessible is essential for a free and democratic society, and we see this fight as a crucial part of the movement to defeat authoritarianism and build a multiracial democracy that works for all.  

That’s why we are pushing back against the attacks on academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and student opportunity, while advancing a bold vision for a more just and inclusive higher education system. Our campaign unites students, faculty, staff, unions, alumni, and community partners. Will you join us?