Cal Poly president won’t sign letter condemning ‘government intrusion.’ Why?
.jpg "Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong speaks at the university’s 2021 fall convocation at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center.")
More than 500 college and university leaders have signed a public statement condemning “undue government intrusion” on campuses nationwide — but Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong isn’t one of them.
University spokesperson Matt Lazier confirmed Armstrong’s decision not to sign the letter, first reported by Mustang News, to The Tribune on Monday. He chalked the decision up to the role of the institution.
“Cal Poly cares deeply about its programming, faculty and academic freedom,” Lazier wrote. “However, the university has no role in determining public policy and therefore will not be signing on to the letter.”
The letter in question, sponsored by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, calls out the Trump administration’s attacks on academic freedom, funding and student rights across the country.
“As leaders of America’s colleges, universities and scholarly societies, we speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the letter opens.
It goes on to outline the role of higher education and the value of academic freedom. In its conclusion, the letter demands “constructive engagement” from the federal government as opposed to its current approach.
“The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society,” it reads.
Despite Armstrong’s decision not to sign, Cal Poly has not been immune to the so-called political interference mentioned in the statement.
In February, the university lost $5 million in Department of Education grant funding due to diversity, equity and inclusion concerns. More recently, Armstrong was called on to testify before a Congressional committee in May over alleged antisemitism on campus stemming from pro-Palestine protests.
Additionally, some international Cal Poly students and alumni temporarily lost their visa status at the hands of the Trump administration earlier in April. Those visas were reinstated as of Monday after the administration reversed course following legal challenges, The Tribune reported.
At least 523 other higher education leaders signed on to the statement as of Monday morning, according to the American Association of Colleges and Universities website. These included leaders from other California State University and University of California campuses and community colleges.
Cal Poly did not provide any additional details on Armstrong’s decision not to sign the letter.
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