As part of our mission to champion education in the arts and sciences, foster freedom of thought, and recognize academic excellence, Phi Beta Kappa periodically issues public statements, joins amicus curiae briefs, signs organizational letters, and supports policy positions. Below, find links to statements and positions on issues of importance to the Society and our mission in 2020.
- Statement of Support for Dr. Jill Biden (December 13, 2020)
- Letter to Congressional Leaders on COVID-19 Relief for Higher Education (December 2, 2020)
- Letter to the Department of Labor asking for the Request for Information regarding the Trump administration's Executive Order on “Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping” be withdrawn (December 1, 2020)
- Letter to Biden-Harris transition team identifying executive action proprieties for higher education (November 18, 2020)
- Letter to to the White House opposing the Executive Order on race and sex stereotyping. (October 8, 2020)
- Letter to House Leadership requesting additional assistance for the higher education community during the COVID-19 pandemic (September 25, 2020)
- Statement on the Recent "White House Conference on American History” (September 24, 2020)
- Letter Regarding Department of Education's Princeton Investigation (September 24, 2020)
- Statement on COVID-19 and the key role of the humanities and social sciences in the United States (August 12, 2020)
- Letter to the Department of Homeland Security asking for clarification on the withdrawn Immigration and Customs Enforcement directive and the status of international students (July 22, 2020)
- Amicus Brief: President and Fellows of Harvard College and MIT v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, et al. (July 13, 2020)
- Letter to Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf asking the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw guidance issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding international students and the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. (July 10, 2020)
- Letter to HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander and Ranking Member Patty Murray on reopening costs for institutions. (July 2, 2020)
- Statement on racism, police brutality, and injustice against people and communities of color, especially the Black community (June 2, 2020)
- Letter from learned societies to Congressional leadership in support of additional COVID-19 relief funding for higher education (June 1, 2020)
- Letter to the Senate leadership requesting $46.6 billion in support for students and institutions in the fifth COVID-19 spending bill. (May 29, 2020)
- Amicus Brief: Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College in support of Harvard in challenge to holistic admissions processes (May 20, 2020)
- Letter to the secretaries of State, Homeland Security, and Labor about President Trump's recent executive order on immigration, specifically on the section that calls for an examination of and recommendations regarding non-immigrant programs. (April 30, 2020)
- Letter in support of the federal COVID-19 relief for the arts and cultural sector (April 20, 2020)
- Comments to the Federal Reserve Chairman requesting updated guidance on the Main Street Lending Program to clarify that nonprofit private and public institutions are included and to exempt student workers from the employee threshhold. (April 16, 2020)
- Letter to House leadership requesting additional assistance for the higher education community during the COVID-19 pandemic as Congress prepares the next stimulus bill. (April 9, 2020)
- Letter to Senate leadership requesting additional assistance for the higher education community during the COVID-19 pandemic as Congress prepares the next stimulus bill. (April 9, 2020)
- Letter to Senate leadership outlining how the federal government can assist students, educators, and institutions in recovering from the impact of COVID-19. (March 20, 2020)
- Letter to House leadership outlining how the federal government can assist students, educators, and institutions in recovering from the impact of COVID-19. (March 20, 2020)
- Letter in support of federal COVID-19 relief for the arts and cultural sector (March 19, 2020)
- Comments to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on the notice of proposed rulemaking to implement President Trump’s March 2019 executive order on free speech. (February 18, 2020)
- Statement in support of American Association of University Professors In Defense of Knowledge and Higher Education Brief (January 9, 2020)