The NBA's Steve Kerr and Doc Rivers joined a host of coaches who signed a public letter of concern on behalf of student-athletes whose independence and integrity of their American universities has "come under political attack."
"Right now, at both the federal and state levels, acts of political interference threaten the independence of our colleges and universities,"the letterread. "Punitive cuts to research funds, censoring of curricula, intimidation of university leaders and faculty, and the deployment of federal enforcement officers on college grounds are dividing our campuses and detracting from teaching and learning. Steep funding cuts put women's and Olympic sports at risk.
"When students are afraid to speak their minds, they cannot give their all. When campuses are polarized, it's hard to maintain the 'one team' spirit we instill in the locker room. The unprecedented pressure by the federal and certain state governments on colleges and universities undercuts the values we have sought to instill in student-athletes.
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"We're asking college sports leaders and fans across the country to stand with us. Tell your elected representatives to let universities remain free and independent. Stand for Campus Freedom."
The letter appeared on Stand for Campus Freedom's website. According to the site, "Stand for Campus Freedom is a nonpartisan project uniting alumni across generations, geographies, and viewpoints to protect academic freedom and stand up for democracy. Together, we are building a national movement that holds universities accountable to their highest ideals, resists political coercion, and strengthens America's leadership on the world stage."
Coaches for Campus Freedom, "a new effort of current and former sports coaches calling out political interference in higher education," includes Kerr and Rivers, the Collegiate Hall of Fame's John Beilein, Jim Boeheim and Muffett McGraw, as well as Harvard's Tommy Amaker and Yale's James Jones, among others.
"Their open letter delivers a blunt warning: federal and state government interference is threatening the independence of universities and colleges, undermining college sports, and harming campus culture," Stand for Campus Freedom's website announced.