A new wave of state legislation and federal actions has dramatically expanded constraints on what colleges may teach and how campuses govern speech, PEN America and multiple reporting outlets warn. More states passed higher‑education censorship laws in the past year than ever before; the combination of state gag orders and federal pressure has left more than half of U.S. college students studying in jurisdictions with statutory restrictions on classroom content or campus operations. Universities are also confronting direct demands from federal authorities: the University of Pennsylvania publicly rebuked a federal request for lists of Jewish staff members, calling the demand reminiscent of a troubling historical precedent. Campuses say these overtures erode trust between institutions and the federal government and create chilling effects that prompt pre‑emptive self‑censorship by faculty and administrators. For trustees and general counsel, the convergence of state law and federal scrutiny raises structural governance questions: how to protect academic freedom while meeting legal obligations, and how to document decisions amid an increasingly politicized enforcement environment.