Students gathered in a mass assembly on the Lory Student Center Plaza at Colorado State University Wednesday to express their concerns surrounding recent free speech policy changes, the presence of U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on campus and the erasure of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across CSU. The assembly was organized by The United Front for Freedom, a coalition of student activist organizations on campus including the Young Democratic Socialists of America, Students for Justice in Palestine, Students for Emancipation and Social Liberation, The People United CSU and the Colorado Young Democrats. “We are gathered here today as a coalition (and) as a community to say enough is enough,” said Brayden Albrecht, co-chair of YDSA. “No more silence only justice, only action, only organization until we, as students, get what we deserve. We deserve transparency. We deserve to be in conversations discussing what threats the university is facing. We deserve a systemic change.” Albrecht, alongside other speakers, quickly drew a crowd of organization members, faculty and passersby who gathered to hear a collection of speeches, testimonials and a panel of student leaders. “We do not live in a functioning democracy right now,” said Amber Wright, a leader of The People United. “That means that it takes all of us banding together students faculty, staff, administration and campus community all of us together against external federal pressure.” Testimonies were delivered by student employees from a number of offices across CSU, one of whom was Jay Bates Domenech, a peer educator with the Dialogue for Inclusion, Advocacy, and Learning program within the Office of Inclusive Excellence. “Last year, we were informed that we had to completely revamp our program, change our model and take away what was at the heart of it,” Domenech said. “No more mention of identity, no more mention of diversity and no more mention of the very real situations that marginalized students face everyday.” Prior to the assembly, the organizations circulated a student loyalty pledge petition, which called for student, staff and community solidarity in the face of recent university policy and program changes. “We’ve seen how CSU is already kind of bending the knee, and we want them to work with students instead of capitulating so that they can protect us with our input instead of just erasing us.” -Sophia Johnson, Students for Justice in Palestine co-chair The petition was written in opposition to the Compact for Academic Excellence, a proposed agreement from President Donald Trump’s administration that offered federal funding benefits to universities that adopt certain policies surrounding admissions, hiring and civil discourse. Nine universities have been offered this agreement so far, and seven have declined. CSU was not offered this agreement. The assembly paralleled the purpose of the petition, with students calling on the CSU administration for more transparency and accountability in decision-making processes in light of federal pressures. “As someone who works with two admin executives, I’ve been hearing their side of the story and I can totally understand how they’re in positions where as much as they want to protect their students, they’re feeling extremely compromised,” said Medhaa Lakshman, secretary for SJP. Sophia Johnson, co-chair of SJP, said the assembly was meant to encourage students, faculty, staff and the wider CSU community to collaborate on these issues. “We want to work together with the administration because we understand that these attacks are going to be happening to CSU specifically,” Johnson said. “We’ve seen how CSU is already kind of bending the knee, and we want them to work with students instead of capitulating so that they can protect us with our input instead of just erasing us.” Vice President of Associated Students of CSU Joseph Godshall, who attended the assembly alongside ASCSU President Jakye Nunley, highlighted the assembly’s potential to take its first step toward collaboration. “As I look around now, we’re surrounded by faculty who have the ability to make change and also relay the concerns of students up the chain of command,” Godshall said. “This was a good first start to being able to get the students who are organizing events like these in touch with the faculty who have the ability to take their concerns and elevate them to the next level.” One of the faculty members present at the assembly was Ray Black, an associate professor of African American studies. Black acknowledged the responsibility of faculty to support students in times of concern and confusion. “Responding to what they are asking questions about is a role of faculty,” Black said. “We have the knowledge. We have the expertise. We have the research. We create the books and the things that you read about free speech.” At the end of the assembly, students were invited to grab pieces of chalk to write various messages on The Plaza. Ashley Schwegerl, a CSU student studying social work who stayed after to chalk, pointed out the importance of large crowds like these. “Raw numbers are always really powerful,” Schwegerl said. “You can see them (and) you can see how much people care about this issue. I think diversity in the types of students that show up is also really big.”.
https://collegian.com/articles/news/2025/11/category-news-student-activist-groups-challenge-actions-by-csu-administration-call-for-transparency/
Student activist groups challenge actions by CSU administration, call for transparency
