Aggie Insider
@aggieinsider.bsky.social
Employee sharing what it’s really like inside the University of California. Staff who speak up risk being sidelined or blacklisted, so I write as Aggie Insider.
"It is entirely appropriate to mistrust the Trump administration" said President of the American Council on Education Ted Mitchell. Similarly, UC Davis law professor Brian Soucek says he's worried the antisemitism investigations are a witch hunt.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
UC, CSU released troves of personal employee information to the feds. Now the backlash
Cal State and UC have face campus protest and intense rebuke by faculty, students and staff for sharing employee personal information with the Trump administration as part of investigations into alle...
www.latimes.com
October 13, 2025 at 3:57 PM
"It is entirely appropriate to mistrust the Trump administration" said President of the American Council on Education Ted Mitchell. Similarly, UC Davis law professor Brian Soucek says he's worried the antisemitism investigations are a witch hunt.
www.latimes.com/california/s...
www.latimes.com/california/s...
UC is changing quietly but profoundly. Budget freezes, staff attrition, and new private partnerships hint at a system recalibrating for survival, politically, financially, and strategically. At stake isn’t just research or prestige, but the people holding it all together.
medium.com/@aggieinside...
medium.com/@aggieinside...
The University of California at a Crossroads: Preparing for Political, Labor, and Fiscal Shifts
Across the University of California system, subtle signs suggest that the institution is quietly bracing for turbulence in the years ahead…
medium.com
October 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
UC is changing quietly but profoundly. Budget freezes, staff attrition, and new private partnerships hint at a system recalibrating for survival, politically, financially, and strategically. At stake isn’t just research or prestige, but the people holding it all together.
medium.com/@aggieinside...
medium.com/@aggieinside...
When the new UC President, James B. Milliken, issued his October 3 letter, it sounded less like a message from a public university leader and more like a corporate memo drafted under federal supervision.
medium.com/@aggieinside...
medium.com/@aggieinside...
An Update From UC President James B.
Aggie Insider — October 2025
medium.com
October 5, 2025 at 4:13 AM
When the new UC President, James B. Milliken, issued his October 3 letter, it sounded less like a message from a public university leader and more like a corporate memo drafted under federal supervision.
medium.com/@aggieinside...
medium.com/@aggieinside...
UC’s new president dropped a letter that basically says: “We’ll fold. Please don’t hurt us." Usually there’s some performative independence, this time it’s pure corporate survival mode. Can’t wait for the “we could have handled things better” statement in four years.
www.ucdavis.edu/news/update-...
www.ucdavis.edu/news/update-...
An Update From UC President James B. Milliken
UC President James B. Milliken issued the following letter today (Oct. 3).To the UC community:We begin the academic year with excitement and purpose, but also with recognition that this is a very chal...
www.ucdavis.edu
October 5, 2025 at 3:22 AM
UC’s new president dropped a letter that basically says: “We’ll fold. Please don’t hurt us." Usually there’s some performative independence, this time it’s pure corporate survival mode. Can’t wait for the “we could have handled things better” statement in four years.
www.ucdavis.edu/news/update-...
www.ucdavis.edu/news/update-...
UC Berkeley capitulated to Trump’s DOE. That’s how universities cash in on Zionism: sacrificing students and faculty to serve the cowards with money, as rotten as the U.S. presidential administration. Branding dissent as antisemitism is repression. Free Palestine.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
UC Berkeley shares 160 names with Trump administration in ‘McCarthy era’ move
Prominent professor Judith Butler among students and faculty investigated for ‘alleged antisemitic incidents’
www.theguardian.com
September 13, 2025 at 8:05 AM
UC Berkeley capitulated to Trump’s DOE. That’s how universities cash in on Zionism: sacrificing students and faculty to serve the cowards with money, as rotten as the U.S. presidential administration. Branding dissent as antisemitism is repression. Free Palestine.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
This is tragedy! This is when violence hits innocent lives. But when it’s a bigot with a million-dollar brand on stage, we’re told it’s the fall of Rome.
Three teens were critically wounded Wednesday in a shooting at a high school in the foothills of suburban Denver, including the suspected shooter, authorities say.
3 teenagers wounded in shooting at Colorado high school
A suspected shooter was also wounded in the shooting at Evergreen High School, about 30 miles west of Denver, authorities said.
www.nbcnews.com
September 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM
This is tragedy! This is when violence hits innocent lives. But when it’s a bigot with a million-dollar brand on stage, we’re told it’s the fall of Rome.
Oh no, Charlie Kirk got shot while giving another "free speech" sermon. Thoughts and prayers to the hate pipeline he’s been running for years, how will young white guys figure out who to blame for their problems without him holding the mic?
GOP strategist Scott Jennings remembered the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday after Kirk was shot dead while speaking at an event on the University of Utah's campus.
'He was leading people': GOP's Scott Jennings remembers 'influential' Charlie Krik on-air
GOP strategist Scott Jennings remembered the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday after Kirk was shot dead while speaking at an event on the Utah Valley University campus. Kirk was shot in the neck from about 200 yards away, according to CNN. He was seated under a tent when the shot ...
bit.ly
September 10, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Oh no, Charlie Kirk got shot while giving another "free speech" sermon. Thoughts and prayers to the hate pipeline he’s been running for years, how will young white guys figure out who to blame for their problems without him holding the mic?
Oh, perfect. Four years paying tuition that costs more than a starter home, only to be told you’re “unprepared” for jobs that barely exist. And the cherry on top? Employers suddenly want degrees again, just not enough to hire you. The job market’s a reality show.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
As Skills Gap Grows, Job Market For College Grads Hits 5-Year Low
A new report finds that recent college graduates are encountering the toughest entry-level job market in five years, a problem compounded by a gap in practical skills.
www.forbes.com
September 10, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Oh, perfect. Four years paying tuition that costs more than a starter home, only to be told you’re “unprepared” for jobs that barely exist. And the cherry on top? Employers suddenly want degrees again, just not enough to hire you. The job market’s a reality show.
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
www.forbes.com/sites/michae...
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Tufts University announced that undergraduate students from households that earn less than $150,000 a year can attend Tufts tuition-free starting next fall. trib.al/dBiIEST
September 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Tufts University announced that undergraduate students from households that earn less than $150,000 a year can attend Tufts tuition-free starting next fall. trib.al/dBiIEST
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Students at Georgetown University walk out to join DC's demand to end the military occupation. #WeAreAllDC #FreeDC
September 9, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Students at Georgetown University walk out to join DC's demand to end the military occupation. #WeAreAllDC #FreeDC
Tribal colleges and universities could face closure under Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, which slashes federal funding by up to 90%. Indigenous students, faculty, and communities are left scrambling to protect education and sovereignty. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Native American universities and colleges brace for crippling Trump cuts
Indigenous leaders warn higher education institutions will close if the funding-slashing 2026 budget proposal passes
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Tribal colleges and universities could face closure under Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, which slashes federal funding by up to 90%. Indigenous students, faculty, and communities are left scrambling to protect education and sovereignty. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Brown to Fund Grad Students Who Lost Grants Due to Trump & Vance
Brown to Fund Grad Students Who Lost Grants
Brown University will give money to some of its graduate students whose federal research grants were cut by the Trump administration, The Brown Daily Herald reported.
www.insidehighered.com
September 5, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Brown to Fund Grad Students Who Lost Grants Due to Trump & Vance
UC Davis Chancellor Gary May serves on the board of Leidos, a company with federal contracts including Homeland Security, while leading a public university emphasizing inclusivity. Worth thinking about. medium.com/@aggieinside...
UC Davis, Chancellor May, and ICE: What New Students Need to Know
Gary May, the current Chancellor of UC Davis, has been collecting board member paychecks from Leidos since 2015. For those unfamiliar…
medium.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
UC Davis Chancellor Gary May serves on the board of Leidos, a company with federal contracts including Homeland Security, while leading a public university emphasizing inclusivity. Worth thinking about. medium.com/@aggieinside...
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Northwestern…. I can’t understand why they /universities..capitulate…
September 4, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Northwestern…. I can’t understand why they /universities..capitulate…
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Ding ding ding!
I’ve said it before: Trump’s pretextual invocation of antisemitism to attack universities is the most antisemitic thing I have ever experienced.
I’ve said it before: Trump’s pretextual invocation of antisemitism to attack universities is the most antisemitic thing I have ever experienced.
A federal judge in Boston said she found it "difficult to conclude anything other than that [the Trump administration] used antisemitism as a smokescreen for a targeted, ideologically-motivated assault on this country's premier universities, and did so in a way that runs afoul of [federal law]."
Trump administration illegally froze billions in Harvard funds, judge rules
The ruling is a legal victory for Harvard but the White House says it will appeal the decision.
n.pr
September 4, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Ding ding ding!
I’ve said it before: Trump’s pretextual invocation of antisemitism to attack universities is the most antisemitic thing I have ever experienced.
I’ve said it before: Trump’s pretextual invocation of antisemitism to attack universities is the most antisemitic thing I have ever experienced.
Reposted by Aggie Insider
In another example that the US is doing the same things it accuses its enemies of doing: The Pentagon is planning to use AI-generated propaganda to “influence foreign target audiences” and “suppress dissenting arguments.”
In other words, it’s information warfare.
In other words, it’s information warfare.
Pentagon Document: U.S. Wants to “Suppress Dissenting Arguments” Using AI Propaganda
The U.S. is interested in acquiring machine-learning technology to carry out AI-generated propaganda campaigns overseas.
theintercept.com
September 4, 2025 at 8:22 PM
In another example that the US is doing the same things it accuses its enemies of doing: The Pentagon is planning to use AI-generated propaganda to “influence foreign target audiences” and “suppress dissenting arguments.”
In other words, it’s information warfare.
In other words, it’s information warfare.
Supporting Black students isn’t just a Black teacher’s job. It takes all of us: educators, parents, communities. This is how you build spaces where they can actually thrive. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/09/03/b...
There's too much pressure on Black teachers
Students of color deserve teachers who look like them. But it’s on all of us to ensure kids have what they need to thrive.
www.chalkbeat.org
September 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Supporting Black students isn’t just a Black teacher’s job. It takes all of us: educators, parents, communities. This is how you build spaces where they can actually thrive. www.chalkbeat.org/2025/09/03/b...
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Administrators at America’s public universities are no doubt watching Donald Trump's fight with UCLA while biting their fingernails. But those in Republican states are carrying on as normal
Donald Trump comes for America’s public universities
But, so far, only those in enemy territory
econ.st
September 3, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Administrators at America’s public universities are no doubt watching Donald Trump's fight with UCLA while biting their fingernails. But those in Republican states are carrying on as normal
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Thousands of UC Berkeley students returned to campus at an unprecedented moment for the university, and higher education across the country.
UC Berkeley students arrive to campus amid an upheaval in higher education
Thousands of UC Berkeley students returned to campus at an unprecedented moment for the university, and higher education across the country.
bit.ly
August 21, 2025 at 6:30 AM
Thousands of UC Berkeley students returned to campus at an unprecedented moment for the university, and higher education across the country.
Jobs are scarce, hiring’s slow, unemployment claims are up, so basically, the American Dream is on vacation. Tariffs, immigration crackdowns, and AI are doing their part. The Fed might cut rates. Fun times!
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
US jobless claims rise, private payrolls growth slows
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits increased more than expected last week, while hiring by private employers slowed in August, offering further evidence that labor market conditions were softening.
www.reuters.com
September 4, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Jobs are scarce, hiring’s slow, unemployment claims are up, so basically, the American Dream is on vacation. Tariffs, immigration crackdowns, and AI are doing their part. The Fed might cut rates. Fun times!
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
www.reuters.com/business/us-...
Reposted by Aggie Insider
Such terrible policy!
As Trump Pushes International Students Away, Asian Schools Scoop Them Up www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
As Trump Pushes International Students Away, Asian Schools Scoop Them Up www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
As Trump Pushes International Students Away, Asian Schools Scoop Them Up
www.nytimes.com
August 17, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Such terrible policy!
As Trump Pushes International Students Away, Asian Schools Scoop Them Up www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
As Trump Pushes International Students Away, Asian Schools Scoop Them Up www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/b...
Reposted by Aggie Insider
BREAKING: A federal judge reverses the Trump administration's cut of billions of dollars to Harvard University.
Judge reverses Trump administration's cuts of billions of dollars to Harvard University
A federal judge in Boston has ordered the reversal of the Trump administration’s cuts to more than $2.6 billion in funding research grants for Harvard University. U.S.
bit.ly
September 3, 2025 at 8:53 PM
BREAKING: A federal judge reverses the Trump administration's cut of billions of dollars to Harvard University.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, UC Davis celebrates Latino contributions, but avoids the immigration and xenophobia issues that disproportionately affect Latino students and their families. medium.com/@aggieinside...
UC Davis Hispanic Heritage Month 2025
Praising Contributions, Erasing Struggle: The Limits of Latinx/Chicanx Recognition at the University of California, Davis
medium.com
September 4, 2025 at 7:09 PM
During Hispanic Heritage Month, UC Davis celebrates Latino contributions, but avoids the immigration and xenophobia issues that disproportionately affect Latino students and their families. medium.com/@aggieinside...
Trying to decide if my first post should be profound, chaotic, or just admit I don’t know what I’m doing.
September 4, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Trying to decide if my first post should be profound, chaotic, or just admit I don’t know what I’m doing.