APSA leadership will make public statements on issues relevant to the political science discipline, including those pertaining to the rights and freedoms of political scientists and scholars. The following letters represent such statements (all letters are .pdf format unless otherwise noted). Read also, community and advocacy letters APSA has signed.

• Statement on the Removal of Dr. Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8/28/2025
• Letter to the Governor of Indiana Regarding Reductions of Programs at Public Universities in Indiana, 8/21/2025
• Statement on Academic Freedom in the State of Texas, 8/21/2025
• Statement on Reorganizations and Reductions at the National Science Foundation, 6/10/2025
• APSA Sign-on Statement Defending Academic Freedom, Democratic Institutions, and International Scholars, 6/6/2025
• Letter to Director of the Office of the Historian at the U.S. Department of State Regarding the Termination of Positions on the Advisory Committee for Historic Diplomatic Documentation, 5/22/25
• Letter to Acting Director of the Foreign Service Institute at the U.S. Department of State Regarding the Termination of Positions on the Advisory Committee for Historic Diplomatic Documentation, 5/22/25
• Letter in Support of Dr. Paul Chambers, 4/29/25
• Statement on the Academic Freedom and Independence of U.S. Institutions of Higher Education, 4/8/2025
• Statement on the Rights of International Scholars, 4/1/2025
• Letter to the White House and Congress Regarding the Dismissal of U.S. Archivist, Dr. Colleen Shogan, 3/10/2025
• Statement on Executive Action Impacts on Research Funding, Data Availability and Academic Freedom, 2/7/2025

2020

• Statement on 2020 Election, 11/25/2020
• APSA Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus Statement of Concern to Academic Institutions on the Protection of Basic Civil and Human Rights during the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, 9/28/2020
• APSA Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus Statement on Teaching during the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, 9/28/2020
• APSA Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus Statement on Federal and State Support for Institutions of Higher Education, 9/28/2020
• APSA Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus Statement on COVID-19’s Implications for Personnel & Career Matters, 9/28/2020
• Statement on #ScholarStrike, 9/9/2020
• Statement on the Detention of Stas Gorelik, 8/13/2020
• Statement on the Essential Role of Social Scientific Inquiry in Maintaining a Free, Participatory, Civil, and Law-Governed Society, 8/10/2020
• Statement on F-1 Visa Restrictions for Remote Coursework, 7/7/2020
• Statement Condemning Systemic Racism, 6/2/2020
• Statement Regarding Layoffs at Ohio University, 5/19/2020
• Statement on Proposed Changes to University System of Georgia’s General Education Requirements, 4/13/2020
• Supports Accommodations for Tenure and Promotion, Work Deadlines, and Faculty Workloads for the Political Science Community 4/1/2020

2019

• APSA Resolution on Academic Repression in Turkey, Approved by Council on 8/28/2019
• APSA Statement on Academic Freedom in Turkey, 8/1/2019
• APSA Statement on Plan S, 2/8/2019

2018

• Letter to Presidents of European Commission and Council Regarding the Athens Review of Books, 12/14/2018
• Letter to Prime Minister of Spain Regarding Prosecution of Political Scientists and Jurists Related to Independence Referendum, 11/30/2018
• Letter to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the UAE Regarding Matthew Hedges, 10/25/2018
• Statement on Elimination of Gender Studies in Hungarian Universities, 10/23/2018
• Letter to University of Michigan Regarding Declined Recommendations for Students, 10/16/2018
• Statement on Gender Studies in Hungarian Universities, 9/11/2018
• Statement on Selection of Dr. Arthur Lupia as Head of NSF’s Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate, 7/13/2018
• Letter of Concern for Waleed Salem, University of Washington Graduate Student, 7/11/2018
• Statement on Trump v. Hawaii Ruling, 6/28/2018
• Statement on Reinstating Citizenship Question in 2020 Census, 3/30/2018
• Joint Statement on Proposed Program Cuts at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 3/15/2018
• Letter to University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 3/14/2018

2017

• Statement on Reports of Language Restrictions at the CDC, 12/18/2017
• Letter to Chancellor Carlo Montemagno and Associate Provosts Lizette Chevalier and David DiLalla Regarding the Proposed Reorganization of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, 12/1/2017
• Statement on Impact of Tax Bill on the Training and Advancement of Students, 11/15/2017
• Letter to President John A. Fry regarding Professor George Ciccariello-Maher, 10/19/2017
• Statement on President Trump’s Decision to End the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, 9/15/2017
• Statement on Impact of President’s 2018 Budget Request on Political Science, 5/30/2017
• Comments on Proposed Changes to Visa Applicant Disclosure Requirements, 5/18/2017
• Expresses Deep Concern about Proposed Legislative Changes to Status of Central European University in Hungary, 3/31/2017
• Endorsement of the March for Science, 3/22/2017
• Statement on Impact of 2018 Budget Request on Political Science, 03/20/2017
• Letter of Concern for Dr. Gozaydin of Turkey, 3/13/2017
• Letter of Concern for Dr. Gudina of Ethiopia, 3/13/2017
• Statement on Violence at Middlebury College, 3/09/2017
• Statement Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States” (updated), 3/07/2017
• Statement Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States”, 1/30/2017

2016

• Post-Election Letter to APSA Membership, 12/20/2016
• Post-U.S. Presidential Election Statement, 11/22/2016
• Letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Regarding Continued and Ongoing Threats to Academic Freedom, 7/21/2016
• Letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Regarding Academic Freedom in Turkey
• Joint Public Letter in Support of Turkish Higher Education, 1/21/2016
• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Proposed Rule: Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, 1/6/2016
• Letter to Wheaton College President Ryken regarding Professor Larycia Hawkins, 1/6/2016

2015

• APSA Joins Amicus Brief in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (see also the press release about the brief)
• Letter of Concern Regarding Dr. Emad Shahin, 11/25/2015
• Statement on Campus Carry (see update on PSNow including a collaborative statement by several scholarly organizations), 10/15/2015
• Statement of Grave Concern for Dr. Manuela Lavinas Picq, 8/17/2015

2014

• Letter to Chancellor Wise on Professor Steven Salaita, 9/10/2014
• Letter to Tajikistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs for Alexander Sodiqov, detained PhD student, 6/30/2014

2013

• Letter to Secretary Kerry in support of Cuban scholars to attend XXXI Latin American Studies Association International Congress, 8/30/2013

2012

• Public Letter to Louisiana State Officials, 7/5/2012
• Response to a Message Sent to the APSA Committee on the Status of LGBT in the Profession, 2/1/2012
• Statement Regarding John Yoo’s Participation at the 2011 APSA Annual Meeting, 11/1/2011, & the APSA Council’s Response, 1/18/2012

2011

• Letter to President Abdullah Gül on Professor Büşra Ersanlı’s Arrest, 11/21/2011
• Letter to Chancellor Martin on Academic Freedom Issues, 6/9/2011
• Letter to Fox News Channel on Professor Frances Fox Piven

2009

• Endorsed Ideological Exclusion Letter to Attorney General Holder and Secretaries Clinton and Napolitano, 3/18/2009
• Letter to Prime Minister of Thailand on Human Rights of scholars, 2/4/2009

2008

• Letter to the National Science Foundation (NSF) on the initiative of the NSF to partner with the US Department of Defense (DoD) for the Social and Behavioral Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation (NSCC), 9/16/2008
• Letter to His Majesty King Abdullah Bin ‘Abdul ‘Azziz Al-Saud on behalf of Dr. Matrouk al-Faleh of King Saud University in Riyadh, 5/30/2008

2007

• Letter to William L. Clay Jr., Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives regarding the Presidential Records Act, 2/27/2007
• Ethics Committee Statement on Academic Freedom, 2/7/2007

2006

• Letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding South African professor Adam Habib and the denial of his entry into the U.S., 11/15/2006
• Amicus Brief in CIA v. Berman, 1/25/2006
• Endorsed Statement on Academic Rights and Responsibilities Offered by Higher Education Community
• Statement of Library, Education, and Scholarly Associations Concerning the Broadcast Video Flag

2005

• Second Letter to the President of the Republic of Botswana on behalf of Professor Kenneth Good, 10/18/2005
• Letter to National Archives and Records Administration, 8/29/2005
• Letter to the President of the Republic of Botswana on behalf of Professor Kenneth Good, 6/27/2005
• Letter to King Fahd bin ‘Abdul’ Azziz Al-Saud of Saudia Arabia on behalf of Dr. Matrouk al-Falih, 6/27/2005
• Letter to AUT Opposing Use of Academic Boycotts, 5/13/2005
• Letter to Bureau of Labor Statistics Urging Continuation of Gender Data Collection, 2/22/2005

2004

• Statement on Cuban Scholar Visa Denials & Response to Cuban Scholar Visa Denials, 10/14/2004
• Statement on Contract Negotiations Between Workers and Hotels Hosting 2005 and 2006 APSA Annual Meetings & Response from Hotels, 9/24/2004
• Statement to State Department regarding Tariq Ramadan, 9/24/2004
• Statement on the Public Presence of Political Science, 8/10/2004
• Statement on Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act Reauthorization & Revised Letter to Senator Dodd, 8/10/2004
• Statement on the Appointment Of Archivist Of The United States, 6/26/2004

1995

• Letter to Central Intelligence Agency Requesting Careful Consideration in Categorizing Documents, 5/11/1995