Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff Members,

I know that many of you, like me, are deeply troubled by the unprecedented and disturbing actions that the federal government is taking, and is signaling it will take, against institutions of higher education. These measures threaten values central to our mission, including the safety and security of our community members who are not U.S. citizens, academic freedom and freedom of expression and inquiry, research and financial aid, and our ability to cultivate a diverse and inclusive community.

I recognize this period of mounting uncertainty is causing heightened anxiety and fear for many of you. I write today to assure you that Swarthmore is unwavering in our commitment to, in the words of our mission, provide “learners of diverse backgrounds a transformative liberal arts education grounded in rigorous intellectual inquiry [that] empowers all who share in our community to flourish and contribute to a better world.”

To ensure we continue to meet that commitment amid these challenges, our work will be guided by the following principles:

• We will continue to hold paramount the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff members.
• We will defend academic freedom and the rights of individuals to engage in research, creative pursuits, and the exploration and interrogation of new ideas and perspectives without fear of punishment or retribution.
• We will continue to foster a diverse and equitable community, recognizing that engaging with people who hold different ideas, identities, and backgrounds advances academic excellence, enriches our experiences, and broadens our perspectives.
• We will continue to comply with the law and do so without preemptively adhering to changes in federal policy that undermine our mission.

How We Are Responding

We are working on several fronts — and with the full support of the College’s Board of Managers — to anticipate, plan for, and react to federal actions in order to minimize disruption and harm to our community. On campus, those efforts include educating students, faculty, and staff members on their rights in various situations, particularly when interacting with authorities or in legal matters, and sharing information on the College’s protocols for responding to law enforcement or immigration officials seeking information or access to campus.  

We are also advocating for Swarthmore and higher education more broadly, including through groups such as the American Council on Education, the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. As a member of the executive committee of a coalition of 25 small liberal arts colleges, we are working to shape potential legislation aimed at increasing the tax on endowment earnings, which could have significant negative ramifications for Swarthmore. Members of my senior staff and I are talking with elected officials and their staffs at both the state and federal levels to underscore the value of Swarthmore and of higher education. In these conversations, we are making clear the harm that many of the federal actions we’re seeing will have on not just our institutions, but our surrounding communities, our democracy, and America’s standing in the world. 

To help aid in this work, I’ve formed a government relations task force comprising a subset of the following senior staff and faculty members:

• Ben Berger, Associate Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of the Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility
• Syon Bhanot, Associate Professor of Economics
• Erin Bronchetti, Professor of Economics
• Erin Brownlee Dell, Chief of Staff and Secretary of the College
• Beth Glassman, Vice President for Human Resources
• Rob Goldberg, Vice President for Finance and Administration
• Andy Hirsch, Vice President for Communications and Marketing
• Sharmaine LaMar, General Counsel
• Sunka Simon, Henry C. and Charlotte Turner Professor of German and Film & Media Studies

This group meets regularly to help me think through and evaluate federal policy developments, proposals, and legislative and executive measures.

Federal Funding and College Finances

Many of you have raised concerns about how reliance on federal funding is affecting decision-making at some other institutions. In several cases, threatened or actual cuts to federal research funding and aid — totalling hundreds of millions of dollars or more — have forced schools to institute pay freezes, layoffs, and make other difficult decisions. 

To the extent this is happening, it’s almost exclusively at large research universities, which are often heavily reliant on federal funding. I cannot speak to the decisions other schools are making; none of us have a full appreciation for all of the factors and specific circumstances they face. I can say, however, that Swarthmore’s financial structure is significantly different from these major research institutions. The College receives a modest amount of federal funding to support financial aid (primarily in the form of Pell Grants) and faculty research, which amounts to approximately 2% of our operating budget. If we were to lose this funding, it would be consequential, but it would not have the same impact as what we’re seeing play out at these larger universities. 

In addition, lawmakers are considering changes to the tax that some colleges and universities pay on endowment earnings. This tax, which was enacted in 2017, currently stands at 1.4% and applies to schools with at least 500 tuition-paying students and net assets of at least $500,000 per student. Swarthmore meets the criteria and pays an average of about $2 million a year. Congress is expected to pass new tax legislation this year, which could expand the number of schools subject to the tax, increase the tax, or perhaps both. An increase could have significant implications for Swarthmore’s finances.  

As mentioned above, we are working with a coalition of similar institutions and talking with lawmakers and their staff members to minimize any adverse impact the legislation may have on Swarthmore. Parallel with those efforts, we are studying a variety of possible scenarios and proactively developing strategies to prepare for changes that may come.

We will continue to provide updates on these and related issues, and we will look for opportunities to engage the community and seek input along the way. In the meantime, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas you’d like to share with the task force, you can email governmentaffairs@swarthmore.edu. 

Moving Forward

In the 1942 book An Adventure in Education, a number of Swarthmore faculty members explore the various ways Frank Aydelotte shaped the College during his 19-year tenure as Swarthmore’s president. One passage, read through the context of today, strikes me as more relevant than at any time in recent memory:

“It has taken both courage and wisdom … to carry through the principles without which democracy is a farce, and education a fraud.”

As a community of intellectually curious, creative, and compassionate individuals, we will summon our wisdom and gather our courage to confront the mounting threats we face. Together, we will work to ensure that Swarthmore and higher education continue to stand as beacons of truth and knowledge.

Sincerely, 

Val Smith
President