The Penn State Faculty Senate passed a resolution supporting the formation of a Mutual Academic Defense Compact (MADC) among Big Ten universities on Tuesday.
This initiative aims to collectively safeguard academic freedom and institutional autonomy in response to increasing political pressures.
The concept of the MADC was first introduced by the Rutgers University Senate, which passed a resolution on March 28 calling for a unified defense against political and legal challenges to higher education. Since then, several other Big Ten institutions, including Ohio State University, University of Michigan and University of Washington, have adopted similar resolutions.
The compact responds to what it calls “escalating politically motivated actions by governmental bodies” that threaten the principles of higher education in America, including autonomy of university governance, the integrity of scientific research and the protection of free speech.
The compact proposes that member universities collaborate by sharing resources such as legal assistance, public relations efforts and expert testimony to support any institution facing political or legal threats. The resolution emphasizes that an attack on one member’s academic integrity is considered an attack on all.
Several senators voiced strong support for the resolution, emphasizing the importance of collective action and academic solidarity.
Cynthia Simmons, professor of mass media law, stressed the importance of visibility and urgency in the university’s response.
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