St. John’s University announced it will no longer recognize the two faculty unions that had represented campus academics since 1970, a move university leaders framed as necessary to preserve institutional ‘‘Catholic‑centered mission’’ flexibility. Administration officials said collective bargaining constrained core academic decisions and vowed to honor the most recent offers while halting further negotiations. Union leaders called the decision illegal and signaled plans to challenge the university’s move; they also pointed to the school’s stable finances and argued the action undermines labor‑justice values associated with Catholic institutions. The decision raises broader questions for religiously affiliated colleges about the limits of collective bargaining and governance. Boards and presidents at other institutions may see similar pressure points—especially where finances, mission claims and staffing flexibility intersect.