ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — Over 200 college presidents have signed a letter responding to “unprecedented government outreach.” 

Among the signatures are Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff, Ithaca College President La Jerne Terry Cornish, and SUNY Cortland President Erik Bitterbaum. In the letter published Tuesday by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the group says they welcome government oversight.

“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.”

“Our colleges and universities share a commitment to serve as centers of open inquiry where, in their pursuit of truth, faculty, students, and staff are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, or deportation.”

Earlier this month, Cornell joined a lawsuit after the U.S. Department of Energy proposed cuts “proposed immediate cuts to indirect costs for existing sponsored research grants.”