100 signatures reached
To: President Jonathan Levin and the Board of Trustees
Stanford: Go on the record against the IRS rule threatening your tax-exempt status
Dear President Levin and Members of the Board of Trustees,
We, as alumni, faculty, students, staff, allies, and friends of Stanford, are writing regarding the Trump administration’s new proposal that would threaten the tax-exempt status of private colleges, universities, and K-12 schools that maintain targeted financial aid, admissions, or support initiatives for minority students. The proposal reaches far beyond admissions: it would apply to scholarships, athletics, educational policies, and every other school-administered or school-supported program.
We believe Stanford should take a firm and visible position in defense of its institutional autonomy and should not change lawful University policies simply in anticipation of federal pressure or demands.
The damage does not stop at Stanford. Treasury and the IRS estimate that the proposed regulations could affect roughly 18,000 private educational institutions nationwide and approximately 750,000 students who may qualify for scholarships allocated on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin. The proposal would also eliminate longstanding IRS guidance that has allowed certain programs and financial assistance favoring racial minority groups when consistent with a school’s nondiscrimination obligations. These programs arose in part to address longstanding disparities in educational access and attainment that persist for some racial and ethnic groups.
This is national education policy enforced through the tax code, potentially changing how scholarships and other educational opportunities are allocated at thousands of private schools nationwide.
Stanford has already articulated principles for such a moment. As President Jonathan Levin and Provost Jenny Martinez wrote in April 2025 -- in a statement defending Harvard against the Trump administration -- the strength of American universities “has been built on government investment but not government control.”
Now Stanford has until November 3 to tell the government, on the record, why this rule is wrong. That is the deadline for public comments. There is clear precedent, as Stanford has done this before: it filed its own comment opposing the 2020 proposed rule on international student visa durations and it has joined peer universities in comments on federal Title IX rules.
We therefore ask Stanford to:
1) By the November 3 deadline, submit a forceful public comment opposing the proposed IRS rule. Stanford should go on the record explaining why it deeply disagrees with the proposal, including which provisions it opposes and why those provisions threaten the University’s mission and institutional autonomy. This comment should be published where the public can read it.
2) Coordinate with peer institutions. Shared threats call for a shared response. As the IRS rule could affect roughly 18,000 institutions, Stanford should work with other universities to develop public comments and other responses.
3) Follow the law, not the threat. While the rule remains proposed and unresolved, Stanford should not participate in anticipatory compliance by preemptively changing policies that remain lawful. If a final rule is issued, Stanford should evaluate its legal options before abandoning programs it believes are lawful and consistent with its mission.
As President Levin said in April 2025, this moment calls on universities to chart a course “guided by clear and enduring principles.” Principles that bend at the first moment they cost something were never principles. We ask Stanford to hold the line now, through this rulemaking and through whatever comes next.
Sincerely,
Cardinal Courage Steering Committee
Cardinal Courage is a coalition of Stanford alumni and allies, uniting to defend academic freedom, resist political interference, and ensure Stanford leads with courage -- not capitulation.
Why is this important?
The Trump administration has proposed an IRS rule that could strip tax-exempt status from private schools that offer scholarships and support programs for minority students, with public comments due November 3. Join Cardinal Courage in calling on Stanford to file a forceful public comment opposing the rule, to refuse to change lawful policies in anticipation of federal pressure, and to coordinate with peer institutions facing the same threat.
Please add your name to Cardinal Courage's petition and share it with Stanford alumni, faculty, staff, students, allies, and anyone else ready to stand up for academic freedom and educational opportunity, and against federal government overreach:
Please add your name to Cardinal Courage's petition and share it with Stanford alumni, faculty, staff, students, allies, and anyone else ready to stand up for academic freedom and educational opportunity, and against federal government overreach: