APSA Public Statements and Letters
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.
2025
- 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
2024
- Statement Regarding Academic Freedom at the University of California, Los Angeles, 7/17/2024
- Letter in Support of Dr. Tiffany Willoughby-Herard, 6/20/2024
- Statement on Academic Freedom and the Right to Campus Protest, 6/7/2024
- Statement on Indiana Senate Bill 202, 3/6/2024
- Statement on Indiana University’s Sanctioning of Professor Abdulkader Sinno, 2/9/2024
- Letter Regarding Mass Terminations and Non-Renewals of Faculty at Manhattan College, 2/8/2024
- Statement on Removal of Sociology as General Education Requirement in Florida, 2/5/2024
2023
- Statement on DEI Interference at the Universities of Wisconsin, 10/30/23
- Letter Regarding Widespread Cuts at West Virginia University, 10/6/2023
- Letter Regarding Proposed Political Science Redundancies at Australian Catholic University, 9/26/2023
- Statement on Supreme Court Rulings on Affirmative Action, 7/19/2023
- Statement on Legal Action Taken Against Disinformation Researchers, 7/5/2023
- Statement on State Legislation Attacking Academic Freedom, 5/30/2023
- Statement on Confirmation of Dr. Colleen J. Shogan, Archivist of the United States, 5/11/2023
- Statement on Florida’s HB999, 3/17/2023
- Statement on Challenges to AP African American Studies Curriculum, 2/23/2023
2022
- Statement on Selection of Dr. Claudine Gay as Harvard University President 12/19/2022
- Statement on “Divisive Concepts” Legislation, 11/17/2022
- Statement Condemning Attacks at Sharif University of Technology, 10/7/2022
- Statement on Nomination of Dr. Colleen J. Shogan as Archivist of the United States, 8/4/2022
- Statement in Support of NSF Equity Action Plan, 5/23/2022
- Statement on the Invasion of Ukraine, 3/1/2022
- Statement on Bomb Threats Against Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 2/23/2022
2021
- Statement on Testimony from Florida Faculty and Academic Freedom, 11/3/2021
- Statement on Changes to Post-Tenure Review in the University of Georgia System, 10/25/2021
- Statement in Support of Dr. Jenn M. Jackson, 9/20/2021
- Statement on Offensive Paper Title in Annual Meeting Program, 8/4/2021
- Statement in Support of Professor Nonna Mayer, 3/26/2021
- Statement Condemning Anti-Asian Violence, Racism, Sexism, and Historical Exclusion, 3/23/2021
- Letter Regarding Tenure Protections at John Carroll University, 3/16/2021
- Statement on Protests and Government Intervention at Boğaziçi University, 2/25/2021
- Statement Condemning the Violent Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Expanded 1/11/2021
- Statement on the Insurrection at US Capitol, 1/7/2021
Past Statements [2020-1995]
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
2013
2012
2011
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
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
