The University of Minnesota Senate voted in favor of establishing a Mutual Academic Defense Compact for the Big Ten Academic Alliance at the April 25 meeting. 

The mutual defense compact, also known as the Rutgers Resolution, protects universities by creating a defense fund. The fund is meant to be used by any institution under “direct political or legal infringement,” according to the resolution. 

Details of the fund, including the amount each participant will contribute, have not been publicized. 

The resolution was passed at Rutgers less than a month ago, and Indiana University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State and the University of Nebraska have since endorsed the coalition. 

The University of Southern California, the University of Wisconsin, Ohio State and the University of Minnesota were considering joining the resolution, according to V.V. Ganeshananthan, who introduced the resolution. 

Fifty-eight senators from the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities, Rochester and Duluth campuses publicly co-sponsored the resolution. The University Senate also endorsed a statement, passed by several other universities in the country, in support of the core mission values of higher education.

Jennifer Goodnough, the Faculty Consultative Committee chair, introduced the statement and said the committee received positive feedback. 

No one argued against the mutual defense compact during the Senate meeting. 

“We are at an unprecedented moment in world history, and we miss that reality at our own peril,” Eric Schwartz, a professor at the Humphrey School, who previously spoke publicly about the need to support academic freedom, said. “The institutions of democratic and civil society are under the fiercest attack, and the universities are clearly in the sight of President Trump and his henchmen.” 

University Senator Scott Creer said the goal of confrontations, like those at Columbia and Harvard University, is to attack universities’ independence and undermine democracy.

The University is currently the subject of two federal investigations, one into antisemitism. Greer said the collective action within the Big 10 academic alliance would protect the University from federal concerns. 

Ofelia Ferran, a professor in the Spanish and Portuguese department, said the University is clearly under threat from federal pressures. 

“About a month ago, President Cunningham wrote saying sticks in a bundle are unbreakable, talking about the need to be united in the face of attacks,” Ferran said. “That is what this compact is doing.”

Students also supported the resolution, including Alexander Campbell, an undergraduate student in the College of Science and Engineering, who said it is far better to be united than alone. 

“The point of resolution is defense against the wannabe authoritarian Trump Administration,” Campbell said. “Such defense will deter plans against this school and others and ensure that we have a better chance at standing up for ourselves, with the help of other Big 10 schools.”