10/08/2025
The CSN Chapter of the Nevada Faculty Alliance (NFA) notes, with alarm, ever-increasing violations of academic freedom, free expression, and due process at higher education institutions across the nation. Some prominent examples include:
*University of California, Berkeley delivered the names of 160 of their students, faculty and staff to the Trump administration as part of an investigation into alleged antisemitism. Those on the list were not given specific information about the accusations against them; the common thread seems to be criticism of Israel or support for Palestine.
Judith Butler, a longtime advocate of the group Jewish Voice for Peace and one of the faculty members on the list, told The Guardian that “We have a right to know the charges against us, to know who has made the charges and to review them and defend ourselves … But none of that has happened, which is why we’re in Kafka-land … It is an enormous breach of trust.”
*At Texas A&M College Station, senior lecturer Melissa McCoul was fired after a video of a confrontation with a student over gender identity content in her children’s literature course went viral. The rationale given for Professor McCoul’s firing was that her course was not in line with its catalogue description.
However, she had taught the same content for years without issue, and the course content was not incompatible with the course description. Professor McCoul’s dean and department chair were also removed from their administrative positions.
*Dr. Thomas Alter, a tenured history professor at Texas State University, was summarily fired without due process for comments he made at a conference.
*Educators across the nation have been censured and even fired for their personal social media posts about the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk. Two professors at Eastern Tennessee State University have been placed on administrative leave, and Ball State University staff member Suzanne Swierc was fired.
At this difficult time, the CSN Chapter of the NFA remains resolute in its commitment to advocating for the academic freedom and due process of all CSN faculty.
By becoming a member of the CSN Chapter of the NFA, you join a local, statewide and national movement fighting for and defending the rights of faculty, graduate students, and academic staff. NFA members are also members of our affiliates the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Specifically, you gain access to:
- A community of members who can help you be a better advocate for yourself in employment and other academic matters.
- Assistance with legal representation expenses through NFA.
- Access to discounts and informative resources through AAUP and AFT. See this September 17, 2025 Advisory for Academic Workers from AAUP as an example of resources provided to members and other academic employees.
- Advocacy on campus, at the Nevada Legislature, Board of Regents, and the Public Employees Benefits Plan during its transition to the new Nevada Health Authority. The AAUP and AFT are also active at the national level.
Membership dues are on a sliding scale based on your income (0.5% of your annual base salary) or tiered for those employed less than 0.5 FTE).
If you're not yet an NFA-AAUP-AFT member, we encourage you to join to access these protections and benefits.
You are invited to share this message with any interested colleagues or friends. All academic and administrative faculty may become a member of NFA, and academic faculty are additionally covered under the CSN-NFA Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please consider using personal email accounts to join if possible.
Sincerely,
Jill Acree, President
Ted Chodock, Vice President
Mark Taormino, Secretary
Colleen Harrington, Treasurer
Carla Doran, Membership Chair
Julian Barroso-Merino, Legal Defense Chair
Staci Walters, Collective Bargaining Chair
