Jesse H. Rhodes | Lightnews

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · 28d

We know alot about why democracy declined in some U.S. states over the last two decades. But why did democracy IMPROVE dramatically in other states? As I show in this PSRM article, strong labor unions played an important role in strengthening state democracy.

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Laboratories of democratic renewal: explaining substantial improvement in the quality of democracy in the American States | Political Science Research and Methods | Cambridge Core

Laboratories of democratic renewal: explaining substantial improvement in the quality of democracy in the American States

www.cambridge.org

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Aug 22

New from the UMass Poll, we show the Epstein scandal is hurting Trump, particularly among Trump voters:
theconversation.com/trumps-epste...

Trump’s Epstein problem is real: New poll shows many in his base disapprove of his handling of the files, and some supporters are having second thoughts about electing him

The MAGA base is not happy. Trump’s handling of the Epstein controversy has done significant damage to his standing, particularly among his core supporters.

theconversation.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Aug 20

Great paper! Tatishe Nteta and I similarly found that negative racial attitudes were associated with greater opposition to the prosecution of planners and perpetrators of 1/6.

academic.oup.com/psq/article-...

The New Racial Spillover: Donald Trump, Racial Attitudes, and Public Opinion Toward Accountability for Perpetrators and Planners of the January 6 Capitol Attack

Abstract. Since the violent January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, federal authorities have sought to hold participants and organizers accountable for their

academic.oup.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Aug 18

They should be available here: www.umass.edu/political-sc...

Please let me know if you can't access them!

Views on Immigration & Higher Ed | National Poll - August 6, 2025 : Department of Political Science : UMass Amherst

Views on Immigration & Higher Ed | National Poll - August 6, 2025Toplines & Crosstabs

www.umass.edu

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Aug 18

Hi everyone,
New from the UMass Poll Substack, we do a deep dive on American attitudes toward immigration policy and find that most Americans don't support Trump's authoritarian measures.

umassamherstpollreport.substack.com/p/most-ameri...

Most Americans Don’t Want Authoritarian Immigration Policies

By Jesse Rhodes

umassamherstpollreport.substack.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Aug 12

The UMass Poll is launching a Substack! Check out our first post, on Trump's declining popularity, and subscribe!

open.substack.com/pub/umassamh...

Americans Voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential Election. That Doesn’t Mean They Like His Policies

By Jesse Rhodes

open.substack.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Jul 3

Ever wondered what MAGA means to ordinary Americans? The UMass Poll asked, and what we found was fascinating.

theconversation.com/what-maga-me...

What MAGA means to Americans

Ten years after Donald Trump launched the Make America Great Again movement, a poll offers some insight into what the slogan means to Republicans and Democrats.

theconversation.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Jun 11

Using UMass Poll data, Tatishe Nteta, Adam Eichen, Lane Cuthbert, and I show that opposition to transgender rights is associated with authoritarian attitudes, above and beyond partisanship, ideology, and religiosity. In The Conversation:
theconversation.com/antagonism-t...

Antagonism to transgender rights is tied to the authoritarian desire for social conformity – not just partisan affiliation

Authoritarian attitudes – the desire for social conformity and an aversion to difference – play an important role in Americans’ willingness to restrict transgender rights.

theconversation.com

Opinion Today @opiniontoday.bsky.social · Jun 7

New research shows the American public continues to support diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.
(Doug Rice @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social Tatishe Nteta @eichen.bsky.social @umasspoll.bsky.social‬)
More, via Opinion Today:
opiniontoday.substack.com/p/250606-top...

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 29

Please consider donating to the UMass Poll Undergraduate Fellows program. This program provides outstanding Undergraduate students with opportunities to build their survey analysis skills and undertake survey research. 100% of funds go to supporting students.

umass.scalefunder.com/gday/giving-...

UMassGives 2025

Now is the time to support what you love during UMassGives!

umass.scalefunder.com

ACLU of Massachusetts @aclum.bsky.social · Apr 22

Harvard’s lawsuit against the Trump administration sets an example for our educational institutions.

We call on colleges and universities around the country to use every tool available to protect academic freedom.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/21/m...

Harvard sues Trump administration over funding freeze - The Boston Globe

The legal challenge comes a week after Harvard's leaders rejected an extraordinary set of demands from the Trump administration.

www.bostonglobe.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 18

One feature of Harvard's defiance of Trump that might be slightly underappreciated is that it indicates that Harvard's wealthy alumni and donors think it is okay to defy Trump. And this sends the signal to other wealthy and powerful people it is socially acceptable to defy Trump.

Kathy Roberts Forde @krforde.bsky.social · Apr 17

Today our organizing team at UMass Amherst reached out to faculty at universities and colleges across the state asking them to join us in a Massachusetts Higher Education Compact.

Daniel Laurison @daniellaurison.bsky.social · Apr 17

PROFESSORS ARE INSISTING THEIR CAMPUSES STAND UP FOR DEMOCRACY AND HIGHER EDUCATION.

Today, we are releasing letters - most organized in under a week - with over 5000 signatures calling on campus leadership to stand up to Trump & fight for our values & our students.

bit.ly/CampusLettersTally

1. Condemn the attacks on higher education, even if your own institution has not yet been singled out.
2. Legally contest and refuse to comply with unlawful demands from the federal government.
3. Work with other universities to mount a coordinated opposition of administrators, faculty, and alumni to combat these anti-democratic attacks.

Harvard University - link to sign - 840 signatures so far
Stanford University - link to sign 1096 signatures so far
Yale University - link to sign - 970 signatures so far
Cornell University - link to sign - 505 signatures so far
Boston University - link to sign - 502 signatures so far
Northwestern University - link to sign - 329 signatures so far
Emory - link to sign - 276 signatures so far
Tufts - link to sign - 179 signatures so far
Brandeis - link to sign - 110 signatures so far
Suffolk University - link to sign - 91 signatures so far
UW Madison - link to sign - 84 signatures so far
University of North Carolina - link to sign - 70 signatures so far
Washington University in Saint Louis - link to sign - 33 signatures so far
SUNY Albany - link to sign - just started collecting

Rachel Maddow @maddow.msnbc.com · Apr 16

This is how you do it.

The "Mutual Academic Defense Compact".

The moral imperative may be to fight...

but the strategic imperative is to not fight alone:

www.gazettenet.com/UMass-Amhers...

UMass faculty calls on land grant universities to join in fight against Trump administration; McGovern, AG also weigh in

AMHERST — Faculty at the University of Massachusetts are calling on Chancellor Javier Reyes and President Martin Meehan to form a compact with the 250 land grant and public universities across the cou...

www.gazettenet.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 16

If only someone could have foreseen this.

Jacob T. Levy @jacobtlevy.bsky.social · Apr 16

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 16

Rachel Maddow covers emergent plans for universities to bad together to defend higher ed, and mentions our resolution at UMass!

www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

'Don't fight alone': Universities band together to defend against Trump attacks

Rachel Maddow highlights the efforts by Big Ten schools and others to join forces in a "mutual defense compact" against Donald Trump's attacks on higher education.

www.msnbc.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 15

Our new UMass Poll shows that both Trump and Musk are increasingly unpopular and untrusted on key issues.

www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

Musk and Trump Are Increasingly Unpopular, New Polling Finds

Elon Musk and Donald Trump are more unpopular nearly three months into Trump's second term as president.

www.rollingstone.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 13

Universities like Rutgers and UMass Amherst have faculty senates calling for this. Here is UMass's faculty senate resolution, which was adopted last week:
drive.google.com/file/d/1TNDl...

MADC_ Public & LGUs.pdf

drive.google.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 11

UMass Amherst's faculty senate endorsed a mutual academic defense compact to band together with other institutions to fight attacks on higher ed!

drive.google.com/file/d/1TNDl...

I hope other universities will pursue similar initiatives.

MADC_ Public & LGUs.pdf

drive.google.com

Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · Apr 2

We simply had to intentionally destroy the world’s strongest economy while dismantling our scientific and educational infrastructure to ensure that a team with a trans girl would never finish second place in the Mountain West volleyball standings again

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 2

This is why we need more R1s and Land grants following Rutgers' call for collective defense and aggressive public outreach

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · Apr 2

Yes, but that is precisely why it can’t just be the Princetons alone. This is not a substitute for loud, public, collective action by all the R1s, public & private, who have these schools & whose entire business model/budgets therefore do depend on stopping the madness.

Prof Dynarski @dynarski.bsky.social · Apr 2

If any school can pull this off it’s Princeton

It has no medical school, school of public health, or school of education, which rely heavily on federal grants

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 2

Better rationale for Liberation Day.

Noah Rosenblum @narosenblum.bsky.social · Apr 2

160 years ago today, the traitor Jefferson Davis and his treasonous cabinet abandoned Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, spelling the beginning of the end of the Civil War. A day for all patriots to celebrate.

Alison @fourbees.bsky.social · Apr 2

Thanks Rick @chronicle.com for talking with @daniellaurison.bsky.social and I about We Are Higher Ed and the groundswell of faculty resistance to attacks on Higher Ed. Here’s what we talked about—which includes a link to our letter and website.

Apr. 2: Can Trump’s opponents organize?

Feds freeze Princeton grants. Who loses in a world with federal graduate-loan limits? Michigan dean walks back his DEI proclamation. And more.

www.chronicle.com

Noah Rosenblum @narosenblum.bsky.social · Apr 2

160 years ago today, the traitor Jefferson Davis and his treasonous cabinet abandoned Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, spelling the beginning of the end of the Civil War. A day for all patriots to celebrate.

Lydia Kiesling @lydiakiesling.bsky.social · Apr 2

I'm supposed to be at
Sweet Briar College, where I was so excited to meet with the amazing students, faculty, and staff who organized my visit & made Mobility their Common Read. Hours before my flight I learned about their Board's exclusion of trans & nonbinary people. So now I'm not going.

Screenshot of a letter. Full text here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WFgiczX6J1VYtVnSLzvaX3L02WuxCuLn/view?usp=drivesdk

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · Apr 2

Yes, but that is precisely why it can’t just be the Princetons alone. This is not a substitute for loud, public, collective action by all the R1s, public & private, who have these schools & whose entire business model/budgets therefore do depend on stopping the madness.

Prof Dynarski @dynarski.bsky.social · Apr 2

If any school can pull this off it’s Princeton

It has no medical school, school of public health, or school of education, which rely heavily on federal grants

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Apr 2

This is a sign Princeton intends to fight. We need more of this.

jon ben-menachem @jbenmenachem.com · Apr 2

Princeton has announced that it is considering selling approximately $320 million of taxable bonds. The bonds are a way for the University to raise short-term funds. The major credit-rating agencies rate University bonds AAA, the highest level of creditworthiness.

Princeton considers issuing bonds same day as federal government pauses grants

The University announced its consideration to sell approximately $320 million of taxable bonds on Tuesday, following a notification from government agencies about the suspension of research grants.

www.dailyprincetonian.com

jon ben-menachem @jbenmenachem.com · Apr 2

Princeton has announced that it is considering selling approximately $320 million of taxable bonds. The bonds are a way for the University to raise short-term funds. The major credit-rating agencies rate University bonds AAA, the highest level of creditworthiness.

Princeton considers issuing bonds same day as federal government pauses grants

The University announced its consideration to sell approximately $320 million of taxable bonds on Tuesday, following a notification from government agencies about the suspension of research grants.

www.dailyprincetonian.com

Jesse Rhodes @jesserhodesumass.bsky.social · Mar 22

Massachusetts officials say they will defend DEI. Why? Because their constituents support it. My latest with Tatishe Nteta and Adam Eichen.
commonwealthbeacon.org/opinion/on-d...

On DEI, Massachusetts leaders are following public sentiment

Why are Massachusetts’s most prominent statewide officials challenging President Trump over DEI policy? It is what residents of the Commonwealth want their elected officials to do.

commonwealthbeacon.org

Light upyour news

Sign in to Lightnews

Sign up to start reading

Connect Bluesky

Connect with Bluesky

Light up
your news