The president of the United States fired the opening shot against our freedom of expression with a sweeping declaration: Students engaged in “anti-American activity” will be “apprehended and deported.”
When the president personally determines what types of speech or actions are deemed permissible, rather than following what is established law, there is reason to be alarmed.
Branding disagreeable speech as subversive marks a disturbing return to the 1950s McCarthy era — an era defined by fear and rife with ideological persecution. University campuses are, once again, a battleground in the fight over freedom of expression and the limits of political dissent.
As an organization that can only fulfill its mission because of the freedoms of the press, The Huntington News Editorial Board condemns any action that conflicts with the First Amendment.
While the Trump administration has yet to single out Northeastern University as it has Columbia University, Georgetown University or the University of Pennsylvania, we believe it is only a matter of time before our institution is targeted by the administration. The moment will come when the views expressed by one of our professors are denounced as “dangerous” or when the president brands the actions of a protesting student as “illicit,” making no legal effort to justify such an accusation.
In the words of Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun, the university’s mission “does not change with the times.” Neither does a student’s fundamental right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Northeastern’s mission is only as strong as our commitment to defending it. If we waver, hesitate or stall in standing up for our values, then Northeastern’s mission was never as ironclad as our administration would have us believe.
Our university must not preemptively submit to an atmosphere of fear.
The Editorial Board writes this opinion, its first in over six years, not to push for a preferred political agenda nor to alienate our diverse readership but because this extraordinary moment demands extraordinary action.
Our university is faced with the following choice: to resist attempts by President Donald Trump to stifle free speech on college campuses or acquiesce — forfeiting Northeastern’s founding principles, its academic independence and ultimately, its promise as an institution that champions freedom of expression.
Our administrators must not choose acquiescence.
Northeastern’s lack of clear guidance and decisive action has allowed for the Trump administration’s chilling effect on campus speech to take root. Faculty members and students are concerned about speaking out against Trump’s actions for fear of disciplinary retaliation by the university. Northeastern has a responsibility to address these concerns and ensure members of its community feel their right to free speech will be protected.
The university’s current efforts are not enough.
In the wake of Trump’s attacks, Northeastern published a Frequently Asked Questions page to address community concerns. The university’s responses are vague, the tone is lukewarm and its answers are outdated.
Recent changes to Northeastern’s Code of Student Conduct — quietly implemented in October 2024 — have erected new barriers to student protest and increased the risks for those who participate. Northeastern now reserves the right to revoke degrees “at its discretion.” The vague yet sweeping language grants the university broad latitude to punish students for actions the university deems personally objectionable.
International students are in an especially precarious position. Many work visas, including the H-1B, hinge on having a degree. If a student’s degree is revoked, they could lose their eligibility for employer-sponsored visas and be forced to return home. For American citizens, losing a degree means a harder job search; for international students, it often means the door to permanent residency slams shut. What was once the dream of a future here — a life built on education and hard work — can be shattered in an instant, all because of a degree revocation. With this threat looming over their heads, international students will be the first to stay silent even as they are the first targeted.
Now is the time for Northeastern to revisit past changes and reaffirm that freedom of speech and freedom of thought are necessary for students’ academic excellence.
The university can begin by supporting efforts by the Faculty Senate, Northeastern’s faculty representative body, to endorse the American Association of University Professors’ standards for freedom of speech.
As a long-term defense against government attacks on academia, Northeastern is reportedly collaborating with universities across the Boston area. With an understanding that many of these discussions are of a sensitive nature, students and faculty nonetheless deserve more information as to the broad contours of these conversations. Aoun must recommit to transparency by holding monthly open meetings where students and faculty can have their countless questions answered directly.
The Huntington News Editorial Board believes that it is our duty to speak out when students’ fundamental freedoms are under assault. At the same time, we also have a responsibility to hold ourselves accountable.
We urge all readers, both those who support the stance laid out within this piece and those who do not, to make their voices heard. Send us an email. Write a letter to the editor.
As students, we’ve chosen to pursue higher education at Northeastern not only because of the opportunities the university provides but because we believe in the promise of academia.
A promise rooted in freedom of expression.
A promise that demands the tolerance of opposing viewpoints.
A promise which, if not defended vigorously, will remain just that — an empty promise.
The Editorial Board reflects the official voice of The Huntington News’s opinion section and consists of the Opinion Editor, the Deputy Opinion Editor and The News’ opinion columnists. Each editorial is the product of unanimous agreement from the Board. The Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom of The Huntington News.
