100 signatures reached
To: Elected representatives
Stand with Coaches for Campus Freedom: Let universities be free and independent
To all those who care about college sports,
We are a group of athletic coaches, current and former, from across America. We focus on competition and training athletes to excellence, not on ideology or politics.
We are speaking out because we care about student athletes and the colleges that nurture them, and are alarmed to see the independence and integrity of American universities come under political attack.
College athletes inspire us, whether in March Madness, Olympic sports, or a close game of football rivals. College sports unite us as a nation, drawing out team spirit, and shared values of fair play. Campuses — big and small, public and private, two and four-year — are a bedrock foundation for the place of sports in American life.
Right now, at both the federal and state levels, acts of political interference threaten the independence of our colleges and universities. 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.
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.
Athletics foster sportsmanship and bring Americans together. Protecting university independence safeguards this proud tradition.
We are asking fellow coaches, athletes and fans to join us in this call. Adding your voice to ours will benefit our athletes, our teams, and our nation.
Sincerely,
Sincerely,
Steve Kerr — Head Coach, Golden State Warriors
Glenn “Doc” Rivers — Head Coach, Milwaukee Bucks
Tommy Amaker — Head Men’s Basketball Coach and Executive Fellow, Harvard University and Harvard Business School
John Beilein — Former Head Men’s Basketball Coach, University of Michigan
Jim Boeheim — Former Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Syracuse University
Jim Boeheim — Former Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Syracuse University
Jessie Carmack — Former Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Christian Brothers University
Ron Cottrell — Former Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Houston Christian University
Don DiJulia — Former Athletic Director, Saint Joseph’s University
James Jones — Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Yale University
Tina Krah — Former NCAA Director of Championships and Alliances, Women’s Basketball
Howard Levy — Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Mercer County Community College
Phil Martelli — Former Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Saint Joseph’s University
Muffet McGraw — Former Head Women’s Basketball Coach, University of Notre Dame
Joe McKeown — Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Northwestern University
Tim Murphy — Former Head Football Coach, University of Maine, University of Cincinnati, Harvard University
Jerrell Price — Former Director of Women’s Basketball Operations, George Mason University
Eric Reveno — Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach/General Manager, Stanford University
Samantha Smith — Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Judith Sweet — Former Athletic Director, University of California San Diego
Coaches for Campus Freedom is a nonpartisan campaign.
Samantha Smith — Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Judith Sweet — Former Athletic Director, University of California San Diego
Coaches for Campus Freedom is a nonpartisan campaign.
Coaches’ affiliations are presented for informational purposes only.
Why is this important?
Head coaches and athletic administrators across the U.S. are joining together to support a public letter defending the universities and colleges that form the backbone of the sports we love.
Show support for our coaches and schools: add your name in support of Coaches for Campus Freedom now!
Show support for our coaches and schools: add your name in support of Coaches for Campus Freedom now!
Stand for Campus Freedom unites 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. SCF is a project of Democracy House, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that integrates the focus and practice of democracy into college and university life.