Stand Up for Science will convene an online rally on Oct. 7 to press university leaders to endorse a newly drafted agreement aimed at guaranteeing academic freedom across U.S. colleges and universities.
Timing and purpose
The event, scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern, comes almost exactly one week after the anniversary of a Department of Education policy move that organizers say prompted the action. The group plans to use the hour-long virtual gathering to increase public pressure on higher education leadership and to announce additional organizations endorsing the initiative called "America's Compact for Higher Education."
Who will speak and what to expect
Speakers include leaders from academic circles and advocacy groups. Confirmed participants listed by the organizers are Bruce Simon, president of the State University of New York University Faculty Senate, and Dr. Colette Delawalla, founder and CEO of Stand Up for Science. Organizers said the program will also feature representatives of endorsing organizations and academic leaders who have been raising concerns about safeguarding academic independence.
- Event: Virtual rally — "America's Compact for Higher Education"
- When: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026 — 7–8 p.m. Eastern
- Access: Online; members of the press invited
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | ASL interpretation and multi-language automatic captioning |
| Organizers | Stand Up for Science; endorsing organizations and academic leaders |
Origins of the compact
According to organizers, the compact was drafted in September 2026 with input from academic leaders and Nobel laureates. Stand Up for Science says it produced the document in response to the Department of Education's initial attempt last year to introduce a Higher Education Compact, an action first released on Oct. 1, 2025, that organizers view as a catalyst for the new effort.
What the group is asking
Stand Up for Science is urging the public to read the compact and to use an online tool the group has made available to send the document to college and university leaders, pressing them to endorse the terms laid out to ensure academic freedom and institutional independence. The rally will include an announcement of new endorsing organizations that have signed on to the compact.
The organizers described the rally as open to anyone interested in preserving academic freedom and knowledge creation at U.S. universities and colleges. The group also invited journalists to attend the virtual event.
News outlets can register to attend through the link provided by the organizers; the event will include accessibility features intended to broaden participation.
