New Haven, CT — Today, as Yale University negotiates with the Trump administration over the Department of Justice’s investigations into the university’s admissions practices, Indivisible Civics launched a new billboard campaign urging Yale President Maurie McInnis and university leadership not to cave to political pressure from the Trump administration.
The two billboards, located along I-95 near New Haven at 1207 and 1407, went live Monday, August 10, reaching drivers traveling to and from Yale from both the north and south. The billboards feature a mock graded paper directing people to YaleDontCave.com with the message: ‘YALE IS FAILING INTRO TO ETHICS BY CUTTING A DEAL WITH TRUMP’.
“Targeting academic establishments is a classic move in the authoritarian playbook to weaken independent institutions and silence dissent. That’s why Yale must stand up for its students and faculty and defend diversity, academic freedom, and free speech on campus. If Yale caves to Trump’s attacks, it will only embolden further efforts to undermine universities across the country to consolidate power,” said Leah Greenberg, co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible. “Instead of standing up to these politicized attacks, Yale President Maurie McInnis is caving and attempting to cut a deal. Yale’s leadership must stand firm in defense of academic freedom.”
The campaign comes as students, faculty, and alumni have publicly urged Yale to stop negotiations with the Trump administration that could compromise the university’s academic freedom. Looking ahead, as students come back to Yale, there are a couple of key dates to watch that could address the dynamic with the Trump administration. On September 1, Dean Pericles Lewis and Professor Beverly Gage will be speaking to students about ‘The University and Democracy,’ as students come back to campus. The Board of Trustees will also be on campus later that month on September 26.
Below is a mockup of the billboard:
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