“There is a certain enthusiasm in liberty, that makes human nature rise above itself, in acts of bravery and heroism.”  – Alexander Hamilton

We the undersigned alumni of Columbia University call upon our University to stand for academic freedom in the face of assaults on this fundamental principle of a free and open society.  We call on alumni of Columbia and other academic institutions to stand together as we seek to defend and promote academic freedom.

As signers, we underscore that it is essential to ensure that all students and other members of the Columbia University community experience a safe campus environment free from discrimination and harassment in which they are able to exercise their First Amendment rights. We do not take a position in this statement on the merits of specific disputes or remedies under discussion, on which we hold a range of views.

The Trump Administration’s March 13th letter and associated actions are extortive, and its demands represent a grave threat to Columbia’s institutional independence and to the academic freedom and free inquiry that are the bedrock of universities in free societies. Such ultimatums, made without due process, would be unlikely to stand in a court of law, as legal scholars from across the political spectrum have emphasized. Rewarding such extortion will only embolden President Trump and his administration to further encroach on academic freedom. The Trump administration has already initiated similar attacks against other universities as part of a larger strategy to quell dissent and undermine core freedoms foundational to democracy. As Columbia alumni we cannot tolerate the thought that our alma mater is the first domino to fall. In the strongest terms, we urge the Columbia board of trustees, the University’s new acting president, and all university leaders to resist capitulation to demands that would erode the University’s academic freedom and independence.

We are not so naive to ignore the profound threat that the withholding of federal funds poses to Columbia and to the broader public interest. The Trump Administration’s abrupt cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in grants for research on cancer treatments and Alzheimer’s disease, programs to reduce maternal mortality, training of scientists and physicians and numerous other critical research and training needs is potentially devastating to scientific and medical research at Columbia, as well as to those who will benefit from these programs. Indeed, the termination of these programs, which serve the public interest and bear little relationship to the current issues of controversy further demonstrates that the Trump Administration’s actions do not serve the public interest.

There is a steep price to pay for rejecting the government’s ultimatums, standing up for academic freedom and institutional integrity, and demanding due process under the law, but we urge Columbia’s administration to consider that the cost of appeasement will be much greater. As it engages the current crisis, we call upon the University to take a longer view — one that gives greater weight to foundational principles and to the judgment of history.

Columbia University has played an important role in this country since its earliest days. It changed its name from King’s College to Columbia College to reflect its support for the new republic that became the United States of America. Alexander Hamilton and John Jay wrote the charter for the new college, and George Washington attended the 1789 commencement to honor all of the alumni who had fought in the Revolutionary War. Over more than two centuries, Columbia has contributed four U.S. presidents, 87 Nobel laureates and countless leaders in the sciences, government, the law, literature, business and the arts.

As Columbia alumni, and as Americans, we are deeply invested in ensuring that academic freedom and the right to free expression are protected in our universities and in American society. We urge Columbia’s leaders to resist intrusive demands that threaten the University and these values. If they do so, we will have their back. We commit to creating a network of Columbia alumni who support these principles, and are willing to take considered and effective action in their defense. We ask all those who share our goals of a stronger, independent Columbia where academic freedom is fully respected to join us and sign this statement. As history has taught us, if we cannot fight for our most basic freedoms, we will lose them. As a first step, recognizing the essential role of universities to democracy and a free society, we sign this letter in support of academic freedom at Columbia and all institutions of higher learning.

• SignatoriesApril 4, 2025

  240	Edward Lewine, CC 1989
  239	Sara Lesch, CC 1989, LAW 1993
  238	Aviva Schein, CC 1990
  237	Zachary Margulis-Ohnuma, CC 1989
  236	Carrie Tatum , School of Public Health 2006
  235	Jill Wandrey Cerino, SW 2002
  234	Barbara Duvoisin, SIPA 1987
  233	Rebecca Turner, CC 1987
  232	Charles Haxthausen, GSAS 1876
  231	Maha Burney , CC 2003
  230	Amanda Greene, SEAS 1998
  229	Chris Alexander , CC 1990
  228	Winden Rose, CC 1991
  227	Winden Rose, CC 1991
  226	Paul Stretton, LAW 2019
  225	Andrew Mainen, LAW 1999
  224	Michael Wara, CC 1991
  223	Jenny Douglas, JRN 1992
  222	Duc Trang, LAW 1992
  221	Nina L. Collins, BC 1990
  220	Jonathan Klein, CC 2003
  219	Krischelle Qua Love, BC 2005
  218	Anna Hilke , TC 2020
  217	Troy Jacobs, School of Public Health 1988
  216	Peter Metsopoulos, CC 1989
  215	Peter Schneider, CC CC 1977, Law 1983
  214	Christina Wright, CC 2003
  213	Taigen Dan Leighton, CC 1971
  212	Arthur Charity, JRN 1986
  211	Alexander Bernstein, LAW 2019
  210	David Tepper, CC 1991
  209	Eric Laursen, CC 1982
  208	Jeneva Burroughs Stone, GSAS 1994
  207	Esme Levy, CC 2015
  206	David Fisher, CC 1999
  205	Edward Ketchoyian, SEAS 1982
  204	Erin Carbone, BC 2005
  203	Elizabeth Langer, BC 1968
  202	Rebecca Shulman, CC 1993
  201	Frank Rosenthal, GSAS 1971
  200	Robert Ehrlich, CC 1962
  199	Helen R. McClure, Ph.D., BC 1998
  198	Moira Regelson, BC 1990
  197	Amy C. Offner, GSAS 2012
  196	Lisa Botshon, GSAS 1997
  195	Nancy Biberman, BC 1969
  194	Margaret Dolid Fichter, BC 1968
  193	Jennifer Bernstein, CC 2009
  192	Srinidhi Bharadwaj, SEAS 2019
  191	Tiffany McDermott, BC 1987
  190	Daniel Carpenter-Gold, CC 2012
  189	Ben Mackin, LAW 2024
  188	Adina Shapiro, SW 1981
  187	Karen Levy , CC 1992
  186	Elizabeth Fisher, CC 2012
  185	Yscaira Jimenez, CC 2003
  184	Alison Gregor, Barnard College ’90, Graduate School of Journalism ’03 BC ’90, Journalism ’03
  183	Diane de Saulles Blank, BC 1978
  182	Linnea Blank, SW 2023
  181	Anna Weisberg, GS 1995
  180	Richard Polton, CC 1970
  179	Emma Bérat, GSAS 2017
  178	Suah Kim, SW 2019
  177	Chaumtoli Huq, CC 1993
  176	Lloyd Allen, CC 1998
  175	Vicki Laden, BC 1972
  174	Steven Kramer, CC 1992
  173	Mark Naison, CC 1966
  172	Jennifer Friedman, School of Public Health 2006
  171	Michael Knopf, GS 2005
  170	T. Atkinson, BC 2006
  169	Mark Erlich, CC 1970
  168	Catherine Cretu, BC 1971
  167	Joanne Choi, LAW 2021
  166	Robert Bickel, LAW 2006
  165	Eric Hagemann, Business 2011
  164	Lena Enzminger, BC 2021
  163	Lawson Shadburn, Business 1983
  162	Amy Mulzer, LAW 2005
  161	Paola Piers-Torres, BC 2012
  160	Taigen Dan Leighton CC 1971, CC 1971
  159	Felicia Lopezcolorado, CC 2018
  158	Laura Pinsky, BC 196&
  157	Claire Abbadi, LAW 2021
  156	Kathy Seal, BC 1969
  155	Bonnie Willdorf, BC 1970
  154	Dr Jared Sacks , GSAS 2024
  153	Ilana Stanger-Ross, BC 1998
  152	Jess Zimbabwe, CC 1999
  151	Gabriel Kuperminc, CC 1986
  150	Henry Reichman, CC 1969
  149	Hilton Obenzinger, CC 1969
  148	Steve Goldfield, CC 1968
  147	Jori Quinlan, CC 2001
  146	Nicholas Luber, CC 2018
  145	Yuliya Shneyderman, CC 2001
  144	Deborah Kapell, School of Public Health 1991
  143	Ian Corey-Boulet, CC 2009
  142	Chelsea Shieh, CC 2017
  141	Janet Krasner Aronson, BC 1983
  140	Rosa Alonso, Business 1994
  139	Paul Morton, CC 2003
  138	Magda Garcia PhD, BC 1981
  137	Kenia Fernandez , BC 1983
  136	Antonia Herzog, SEAS 1989
  135	Sharon D. Johnson, BC 1985
  134	Rachel Kahn-Troster, BC 2001
  133	Philip MacEachron, CC 1994
  132	Jill Chamberlain, CC 1989
  131	David Cohen, CC 1991
  130	Jeff Fralick, School of Professional Studies (SPS) 2020
  129	Karen Gooze Ulric, CC 1994
  128	Will Schuessler, SEAS 2009
  127	Laura Gramling Perez, CC 1990
  126	Andrea Chipman, CC 1989
  125	John Deal, CC 1993
  124	Toby Sambol Edelman, BC 1968
  123	Karen Zumhagen-Yekplé, BC 1990
  122	George Guida, CC 1989
  121	Marina Metalios, BC Barnard 85; SIPA 92
  120	Liz Pleshette, CC 1989
  119	Paul Grajnert, SOA 2005
  118	Anna Moody, LAW 1997
  117	Roger Alan Stone, LAW 1992
  116	Walid Yassir, MD, SEAS 1988
  115	Stacey Picket Cunitz, BC 1989
  114	Jenny Dubnau, BC 1985
  113	Jonathan Unglaub, GSAS 1999
  112	Oliver Staley CC ’93, Journalism ’02, CC 1993, 2002
  111	Brenda Mallory, LAW 1983
  110	Eugenie Dubnau, BC 1956
  109	Harry B. Reis, LAW 2024
  108	Evan Camfield, SOA 2001
  107	Camilla Jackson, CC 1994
  106	Greg Bunch, GSAS 2002
  105	Alexandra Wagner, CC 94
  104	Mary Lynne Werlwas, LAW 1992
  103	David Schwartz, CC 1988
  102	Emma Shumway, LAW 2023
  101	Alka Pradhan, LAW 2007
  100	Rev. Janice Tudy-Jackson, LAW 1992
  99	Angela L. Padilla, LAW 1991
  98	Christie Hodgkins, SW 1996
  97	Meredith Goldsmith, GSAS BA ’88 (Columbia College); PhD ’98 (GSAS)
  96	Jim Kreidler, CC 88
  95	Batul Hassan, School of Public Health 2020
  94	John McGann, CC 1988
  93	Alice Bers, CC 1993
  92	Craig Blackmon, CC 1988 (Teachers College 1992)
  91	Caroline Brown, BC 2014
  90	Johanna Bozuwa, BC 2014
  89	Elana Nachshin , BC 2015
  88	Andrea Wang, CC 2002
  87	Jennifer Hays Woods, CC 1993
  86	Heather White Godfrey, BC 2001
  85	Patrick Keefe, CC 1999
  84	Philip Monahan, CC 1988
  83	Siobhan Loughman, CC 1989
  82	Sandra Thananart, CC 1992
  81	John Kluge Jr, CC 2005
  80	Carys Snyder, CC 2019
  79	Vicky Borgia, MD, CC 92
  78	Morgan Brill, CC 1988
  77	Shawn Landres, CC 1994
  76	Jim Bernfield, CC CC ’88, SOA ’01
  75	Yanni Guo, BC 2006
  74	Alexandra Mummery, CC 1995
  73	Patricia White, CC 1992
  72	Joshua Masur, Columbia College and School of Law 1990, 1999
  71	Matthew Wood, CC 1994
  70	Cary B. Hall, CC 1992
  69	Brian Fleischer, CC 1993
  68	Kelly Pu, SEAS 2022
  67	Michael Vogel, LAW 1991
  66	Julie Caskey, BC 1987 also Law 1992
  65	Addison Fredrick Golladay, CC 1993
  64	Jennifer Glaser, CC 2000
  63	Jennifer Hays Woodz, CC 1993
  62	Surbhi Sarang, LAW 2016
  61	Aimee Rank, CC 1993
  60	Lisa Genn, CC 2002
  59	Diana Lu, SEAS 2019
  58	Eliza Gallo, CC 1993
  57	Paul Bua, CC 1993
  56	Molly Tambor, GSAS 2007
  55	Laura Marks, Columbia College and SIPA CC’90 and SIPA’96
  54	Jeremy Buchman, CC 1991
  53	Gretchen E. Krantz Evans, LAW 1999
  52	Benjamin Greenspan, CC 2019
  51	Julia Zeh, CC 2018
  50	Trisha Suggs, CC 1990
  49	Tanya Kalmar, CC 1990
  48	Thet Naing, CC 2019
  47	Anne Hayes Hartman, CC 1990
  46	R.David Harden, GSAS 1988
  45	Thomas L. Webber, TC 1978
  44	Davd Eng, CC 1990
  43	Gauri Saxena , BC 2006
  42	Dante Hay, CC 2022
  41	Karen Parmett, CC 1990
  40	Mira Soni, CC 2021
  39	Margaret Flynn Robison, CC 1990
  38	Gabriel Kra, CC 1990
  37	Laura Milliken, BC 1989
  36	Ruchi Kirtikar, CC 2018
  35	Francisco Hernandez, CC 2019
  34	Nathan Lenssen, GSAS MA 2017, PhD 2022
  33	Susie Wu-Dare, BC 1990
  32	Gloria Pak, CC 1990
  31	Jason Hagani, CC 2019
  30	Elizabeth Daniel, LAW 1991
  29	Kat Hacthoun, CC 2019
  28	Emil Mella Pablo, CC 2019
  27	Mary C. Greenfield, BC 1992
  26	Joshua Zoeller, CC 2018
  25	Aimee Cicchiello, CC 2019
  24	Warigia M. Bowman, CC 1990
  23	Christa Haxthausen, BC 1995
  22	Elizabeth Buettner, BC 1989
  21	Hazel Rosenblum-Sellers, CC 2019
  20	Jason Solotaroff, LAW 1990
  19	Katie Sellers, CC 1991
  18	Yasmin Ramirez PhD, GS 1990
  17	Scott J. Susin, CC 1990
  16	Aili Whalen (formerly Aili Webber), CC 1990
  15	Steven Descoteaux, CC 1990
  14	Jonathan Earle, CC 1990
  13	Catherine Geanuracos, CC 1991
  12	Regina Downey, CC 1990
  11	Anita Bose, CC 1990
  10	Chris Scheuer, CC 1991
  9	Myrna Melgar (Iton), GSAPP 2002
  8	Amy Bieberdorf, CC 1991
  7	Tanya Weisman, CC 1991
  6	William Lipton, CC 1990
  5	Sczerina Perot, CC 1990
  4	Jeremy F. Manning, CC 1990
  3	Alexander Protopapas, CC 1990
  2	Sean Hoe Donahue, CC 1989
  1	Eric Haxthausen, CC 1990