2026 Resolutions

No to U.S. War! Down with War Profiteers!

Whereas, U.S. warmongering and intervention over the past half century has led and continues to lead to the deaths of millions of people across the globe;

Whereas, the Trump administration’s aggressive posturing and violent calls to actions seek to further expand and bolster the American military at the cost of the lives and wellbeing of civilians, both nationally and internationally;
Whereas, in Latin America the Trump administration’s “new Monroe Doctrine” has led to the escalation of the inhumane blockade which continues to deprive the people of Cuba of essential resources for their survival, the violation of Venezuelan sovereignty through the kidnapping of President Maduro and Cilia Flores, and threats against Mexican sovereignty among other ongoing efforts to oppress and exploit the people of Latin America as a whole;

Whereas, in Asia Trump resumes his preparations for war against China, while heightening military exercises in Korea, the Philippines and Japan, and further enables the repression of the people’s movements throughout Asia by backing puppet governments and U.S. proxies;

Whereas, in Africa the Trump administration strengthens the oppressive “AFRICOM” military apparatus, backing an oppressive government in Kenya, and funding forces against people’s movements in the Sahel and the Congo;

Whereas, in occupied Palestine, the Trump administration aids and abets the Zionist entity at every turn, arming and funding the Israeli Occupation Forces’ efforts to continue their genocide of the Palestinian people, and continuing to suppress the Palestine solidarity movement at home;

Whereas, in a most flagrant display of warmongering, the Trump administration has joined Israel in launching a brutal assault against the people of Iran; targeting civilians in the name of Israeli and American regional power, and punishing Iran for its support of the resistance in Palestine and Lebanon;

Whereas, in all cases, this administration continues to prove that the greatest threat in the world today remains Donald Trump and the U.S.A.;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Will continue to carry forward its half-century-old commitment to opposing US-led war and intervention, in the same spirit of our founders who opposed the war against the people of Vietnam;
• Will continue to build the on-campus anti-war movement, educating students about the importance of opposing U.S. war efforts and rallying against any and all US-led military escalations through action and protest;
• Chapters across the country will resist the presence of war profiteers and those corporations which lend material and financial support to U.S. warmongering in all its forms, by frustrating their attempts to recruit students, and disrupting the events at which they have presence;
• Will always stand in solidarity with the peoples of the world in opposing U.S. intervention;
• That National SDS remains firm and unwavering in our demand that we want U.S. forces out of EVERYWHERE.

Resolution to Continue Student-Labor Solidarity

Whereas, solidarity between the student movement and the labor movement is crucial for winning demands in the face of opposition from university administrators;

Whereas, both students and workers are threatened by Trump’s attacks on higher education and university administrators’ compliance leading to budget cuts, pay freezes, and layoffs;

Whereas, the austerity programs of university administrators have meant tuition hikes, and student cutbacks often come alongside cuts to campus workers’ pay, layoffs, and cuts to benefits such as health care coverage;

Whereas, federal immigration policies continue to harm international students and workers, including the real threat of detainment, deportation, and violence from ICE;

Whereas, students and workers uniting can fight to protect each other from violent federal officers, and can call upon their university administrators to do the same;

Whereas, just as an injury to one is an injury to all, a win for a union is a win for the working class, and a win for a campus union is a win for the student body;

Whereas, campus unions such as the UAW and AFSCME have proven to be strong allies in the fight against Trump’s attacks on immigrants and DEI;

Whereas, recent union drives, campaigns, and strikes such as Higher Ed Labor United’s Kill the Cuts campaign and the Teamsters strike at the University of Minnesota show labor is willing to take on campus administrators alongside the student movement;

Whereas, SDS can work with unions during periods of strike in order to serve as a bridge between the student body and the striking workers, by doing outreach to students, organizing solidarity actions, and supporting the picket lines;

Whereas, most students upon graduating will enter the working class, after having paid increasingly large amounts for tuition, while campus staff, custodial, maintenance, and food service workers are underpaid and overworked for the essential labor that makes the university run;

Whereas, progressive student and labor movements have historically been united in our demands for racial, gender, class, and disability justice;

Whereas, the relationships built between SDS and the labor movement through working side by side have helped to build and strengthen both movements.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Will participate in and organize solidarity actions in support of labor unions on campus and unions in our communities;
• Will support campus unions where appropriate in their campaigns against university administration;
• Will walk the picket lines and attend strikes held by unions;
• Will aid in the gathering of donations for strike funds, and provide material support such as food where possible;
• Will invite union members and labor organizers to attend and speak about their work at our actions and events;
• Will attend and provide speakers for labor actions when requested;
• Will never cross the picket lines of striking workers.

Resolution to Honor the Victims of Racism and Police Brutality

Whereas, National Students for a Democratic Society is a broadly progressive activist organization of students and youth which has long held strong ties to the Black liberation Movement;

Whereas, in 2025, National Students for a Democratic Society formally codified its fraternal relationship to the struggle for Black liberation by passing a resolution which formally established bilateral relations with the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression;

Whereas, on the Ninth of August, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown was murdered while unarmed in Fergueson, Missouri by police officer, Darren Dean Wilson following Wilson’s unjustified confrontation of Brown;

Whereas, Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown was described with his hands up and posing no threat— mortal or otherwise— to Wilson;

Whereas, Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown was an aspiring musician, a loved son, a young Black person, and— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, the murder of Michael Orlandus Darrion Brown was the spark on the kindling of the national oppression of Black people in the United States that ignited the global “Black Lives Matter” movement;

Whereas, on the Twentieth of October, 2014, 17-year-old Laquan Joseph McDonald was murdered in Chicago, Illinois, by police officer Jason Van Dyke;

Whereas, the city of Chicago engaged in a cover-up to conceal information surrounding the murder of Laquan Joseph McDonald, and this cover-up (among many others) served as a case- study for the rampant misrepresentation of the killings of Black youth by law enforcement;

Whereas, Laquan Joseph McDonald was a strong student in the fields of personal finance, music, and the humanities, a loved son, and— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, on the Twenty-Second of November, 2014, 12-year-old Tamir Elijah Rice was murdered in Cleveland, Ohio by police officer Timothy Loehman, following reports of a “man” with a “pistol;”

Whereas, in reality, Tamir Elijah Rice was a 12-year-old boy playing in the park with a toy “gun,” and the initial 911-caller’s claims that the weapon was “probably fake” and that Rice was “probably a juvenile” were not relayed to the police;

Whereas, the murder of Tamir Elijah Rice served as a case-study for the rampant adultification of Black youth and the persistent and racist notion that Black youth— and Black people at large— pose a universal threat to the general (read: white) population;

Whereas, Tamir Elijah Rice was a rising athlete in the sports of football, basketball, competitive swimming, and soccer;

Whereas, Tamir Elijah Rice was an artist in the media of pottery and embroidery, involved in his community, a loved son, and— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, on the Sixth of March, 2015, 19-year-old Tony Terrell Robinson, Jr. was murdered in Madison, Wisconsin by police officer Matthew Kenny while in the midst of a psychiatric crisis;

Whereas, psychiatric crises should always be met with the utmost care and de-escalatory tactics and standard protocols and standards-of-care do exist with respect to adolescents and others experiencing psychiatric crises;

Whereas, Tony Terrell Robinson, Jr. was denied the opportunity to receive treatment for his mental health and even still was a loved son, a member of his community, and— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, on Twenty-Fifth of May, 2020, 46-year-old George Perry Floyd, Jr. was murdered in Minneapolis, Minnesota by police officer, Derek Michael Chauvin via asphyxiation after Chuavin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for over 10 minutes as Floyd yelled out that he couldn’t breathe;

Whereas, George Perry Floyd, Jr. was unarmed and presented no immediate threat— mortal or otherwise— to Chauvin or the community;

Whereas, he murder of George Perry Floyd, Jr. ignited global protests against the violent, racist, and overly-militarized police forces of the United States of America;

Whereas, these protests occurred from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, through New York to London, from Sydney to Tokyo and included between 15 million and 26 million participants at their peak;

Whereas, even given the fact that George Perry Floyd, Jr. was a flawed human being— as all human beings are— Floyd was denied due process and— above all— was a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, on the Thirteenth of March, 2020, 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was murdered in Louisville, Kentucky by police officers Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and principally Myles Cosgrove after the aforementioned officers conducted a “no-knock” raid on Taylor’s home— breaking their way in and causing a great fear and disturbance— and shot her as she lay in her bed;

Whereas, neither Breonna Taylor, nor her partner Kenneth Walker were the actually-intended targets of the raid;

Whereas, “No-knock” raids have not been demonstrated to reduce crime in any meaningful capacity and instead serve to grant officers of the state nigh-universal access into any person’s home for any reason;

Whereas, for the reasons above, “no-knock” raids represent a flagrant violation of the rights outlined in the IV th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States;

Whereas, Breonna Taylor served her community as an Emergency Medical Technician from January to November of 2016 and, in 2020, as an Emergency Room Technician, and a nurse pro re nata and diligently worked as a medical provider to serve her patients to the best of her ability;

Whereas, Breonna Taylor was a strong community member and a community servant in the field of medicine who held aspirations to eventually work as a neonatal nurse, and who was— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, on the Fourteenth of June, 2026, 1-year-old Kohen Kartier Wiley was murdered in Sentaobia, Mississippi, by police officer Hunter Foster following the erroneous allegation that his mother stole a package of diapers from Walmart;

Whereas, there is no possible justification under any circumstance for the murder of a 1-year- old toddler;

Whereas, Kohen Kartier Wiley was denied the opportunity to grow up and experience the many joys and wonders of life, and even still was— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

Whereas, on the fifteenth of September, 2025, 21-year-old De’Martravion “Trey” Reed was found hanging from a tree on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi and the circumstances of his death are still unknown;

Whereas, the death of De’Martravion “Trey” Reed was initially ruled a suicide despite the long-standing knowledge that Black people generally do not do so via public hanging and the long history of lynching and racial violence in the United States in general and Mississippi in particular;

Whereas, De’Martravion “Trey” Reed was a freshman at Delta State University studying computer science, described as ambitious and eager to creative a positive future, a loved son, grandson, and community member; and who was— above all— a human being who ought be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness;

Whereas, the list presented above is unfortunately not exhaustive, and the incidents of racist violence against Black youth and Black people in general are far too numerous to name in their Entirety;

Whereas, the Black Lives Matter movement of 2014 and beyond lives in the tradition of the centuries-long struggle for the liberation of Black people;

Whereas, each murder of a Black person by law enforcement— those named in the list above and the numerous others of which there are too many to name in their entirety— has been met with steadfast outcry and resistance by community members, families, organizations, and fellow People;

Whereas, National Students for a Democratic Society has been steadfast in its support for the struggles against racist police violence and an advocate for Black liberation and the immortal truth that Black lives do matter;

Whereas, each person named above was a Black person and a human being who ought to be naturally endowed with the fundamentally unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness;

Whereas, each individual named above and a greater list of individuals— named and unnamed and far too numerous to name in their entirety— have had their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness needlessly stripped away by the institutions of police violence, police racism, and the structural defense of racist violence against Black people.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Hereby recognize the individuals named above and all other victims of senseless police brutality and otherwise racist violence against the masses of the people in general and Black people in particular as unique, loved, respected, and extraordinary martyrs in the struggle for the liberation of Black people;
• Will continue to advocate against police misconduct and racist violence both on our campuses and in our wider communities;
• Hereby again commit ourselves to the cause of Black liberation and to taking up the great task of resisting racism and police brutality wherever they may appear.

Resolution for Solidarity with Palestine

Whereas, this convention comes right before the 3 year anniversary of when the Palestinian Resistance shook Israel and the world with Operation Al Aqsa Flood, a counter-blow to 76 years of colonization and occupation by Israel and Zionism; and,

Whereas, since Oct. 7th, 2023, Israel – supported by the United States – has slaughtered tens of thousands of Palestinians in the most open and publicized genocide of the 21st century; and,

Whereas, in the West Bank, Israeli settlers are escalating in aggression in stealing Palestinian land and expanding the apartheid regime; and,

Whereas, the political elite of the United States, in both parties, are united in their support of the Zionist genocide and the apartheid state of Israel; and,

Whereas, universities pursue partnerships with and host companies that supply the genocidal Israeli military with technologies and products that are employed in the slaughter of Palestinians. Universities invite Israeli speakers onto campuses to justify the genocide and develop direct partnerships with the state of Israel or Israeli universities. Universities also directly invest their endowments into the military industrial complex who profits from the genocide; and,

Whereas, the fight against U.S. support of the Palestinian genocide has brought the student movement to new heights. Student-led encampments and occupations have shaken the world of higher education. Encouraged by the bravery of the Palestinian people, thousands of students have been motivated to become militant activists, leading struggles against Israel and against U.S. Imperialism; and,

Whereas, SDS chapters have been at the forefront of the student struggle for Palestine. Members of SDS have joined and led campaigns for divestment on their universities, often at great personal expense. Student activists have faced conduct charges, criminal charges, suspensions, and expulsions, but have remained steadfast in their support of the Palestinian people against genocide through it all; and,

Whereas, despite the ‘ceasefire’, Palestinians in Gaza experience daily air-strikes from Israel, killing many; and,

Whereas, the U.S. and Israel jointly started the war in Iran in the effort to destroy the ‘Axis of Resistance,’ which has supported Palestinian resistance against Israel and taken substantial action against the genocide; and;

Whereas, Israeli officials, backed by Donald Trump, have made clear their plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza by removing its population.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Stands firmly in solidarity with Palestine, its people, and its resistance against the state of Israel, its crimes, and the support of those crimes by the United States and American universities; and,
• Salutes the brave efforts of the students who have led campaigns against the genocide on their campuses, especially those who have faced personal consequences; and,
• Will continue their campaigns for disclosure and divestment on their universities until victory, and until the total liberation of Palestine; and,
• Will continue to mobilize for Palestine on October 7th and Nakba Day.
• Will mobilize in solidarity with Palestine against U.S.- Israeli wars that target popular anti-zionist and anti-imperialist resistance in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran.

SDS stands with the Immigrant Rights Movement!

Whereas, under the Trump administration the federal government has increased the budget of ICE and DHS, stripped millions of their legal immigration status, and expanded federal agents’ ability to detain people and violate due process;

Whereas, large scale ICE operations and mass deportations have resulted in the detention and deportation of hundreds of thousands of people across the United States;

Whereas, last summer Trump deployed the national guard to Los Angeles in an attempt to stamp out the LA Uprising, a righteous struggle by the people of LA to protect their immigrant communities against escalating ICE terror;

Whereas, last September Trump launched operation Midway Blitz in the city of Chicago to kidnap thousands of immigrants from their families. These detentions were done violently and illegally, one ICE encounter resulting in the murder of Silverio Villegas González who was dropping his children off from school. Several weeks into the operation, as Chicagoans across the city did rapid response and protested ICE, Chicago was put under military occupation by the National Guard for refusing to bend to the will of the Trump Administration and turn their backs on their immigrant neighbors;

Whereas, beginning in December of last year Trump launched operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis based on a racist rumor targeting Somali immigrants. In response to the deployment of thousands of federal agents, community members conducted rapid response and protested. ICE used lethal force and murdered Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In response, in below-freezing temperatures thousands of Minnesotans took to the streets demanding an end to ICE killings and terror;

Whereas, dozens of people have been murdered at the hands of ICE or died in ICE detention camps;

Whereas, two years into the Trump Administration, we see immigrant rights’ activists such as Nadia Topete and Alejandro Orellana, face legal repression from our government for defending their immigrant communities;

Whereas, the states of Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia all have restrictions banning undocumented students from public higher education. Alabama and South Carolina have statewide bans across public universities and colleges. Georgia has bans at a number of public universities;

Whereas, Trump’s Department of Justice has systematically sued every state which has laws protecting undocumented students’ in-state tuition and access to apply for financial aid. As a result of these federal lawsuits undocumented youth have lost in-state tuition in Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Oppose all further expansions of ICE. We say: “ ICE OUT NOW”!;
• Demand “NO DEPORTATIONS!” and “LEGALIZATION FOR ALL!” and continue to work alongside Legalization for All Network;
• Call upon SDS chapters to protect their immigrant community members and classmates, especially those who may be targeted in retaliation for exercising their constitutional right to protest;
• Call upon SDS chapters to demand that their campuses become “Sanctuary Campuses”. We demand our universities cease cooperation with ICE and that our admin defy Trump and protect existing or create new policies which keep undocumented and international students safe;
• Call upon local SDS chapters to demand their universities restore or create in-state tuition and financial aid access for undocumented students;
• Release national statements if and when further attacks on immigrants’ rights occur throughout the year;
• Hold National Days of Action in defence of immigrants’ rights!

SDS Demands Hands off Trans Lives!

Whereas, in 2026 thus far, there have been over 900 anti-trans bills considered and 50 passing and a plurality focused on healthcare, seeking to prohibit gender affirming care in minors and adults, and;

Whereas, “Don’t Say Trans” bills that require elementary, middle and high schools to out trans students, require parental permission to add preferred names to student profiles or for any accommodations such as using bathrooms that align with the students gender identity have been passed or considered in numerous states across the country;

Whereas, trans students are increasingly being targeted with bans on participation in sports, where as of September 2026 27 states have implemented laws banning trans girls from participating in sports at public K-12 schools and colleges, and;

Whereas, transphobic violence continues to escalate, where 60% of all hate crimes against transgender people are black trans women, and reactionary propaganda continues to use trans people as scapegoats.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Will continue to hold a national days of action for each of National Trans Day of Remembrance, and National Trans Day of Visibility;
• Will demand their universities provide and maintain access to transgender healthcare, education, and counseling services on campus;
• Will support and defend trans athletes’ ability to participate in university sports in accordance with their gender identity;
• Will defend and demand expansion of university resources and policies utilized by transgender students, including those relating to bathrooms, housing, locker rooms, and classrooms, as well as policies outlining consequences for transphobic harassment and violence;
• Will be prepared to mobilize when there are attacks on trans people in their cities;
• Will mobilize when anti-trans speakers and propaganda are on their campuses through counterprotests and other forms of protest.

Resolution to Free President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores

Whereas, on January 3rd, 2026, the Trump Administration executed a bombing campaign and commando raid on Caracas, Venezuela that killed over 100 people and resulted in the kidnapping of President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores;

Whereas, Venezuela is a sovereign nation that has endured over two decades of attacks from the U.S. that range from attempted coups, propaganda, and sanctions. Much of this is in direct response to the popular Bolivarian revolution that has used the nationalization of its oil to fund massive programs that have lifted millions out of poverty and illiteracy and guaranteed free public education and healthcare;

Whereas, Nicolás Maduro is the present democratically-elected President of Venezuela, who has won three elections since 2013 and has navigated an intensified effort at regime change through sanctions, political trickery and failed invasions;

Whereas, First Lady Cilia Flores is an important national leader within the Bolivarian Revolution, serving as Chávez’s lawyer who fought for his release from prison, leading the National Assembly during the Chávez administration, continuing as a national leader in the role of ‘first lady’, and maintaining her commitment to the principles of the Bolivarian Revolution throughout her career. She was also an elected deputy of the National Assembly at the time of the kidnapping;

Whereas, since the start of her imprisonment in the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, NY, Flores, age 69, has developed a serious heart condition and suffered a suspected heart attack, and MDC staff are recommending cardiac surgery;

Whereas, the Trump Administration maintains a significant military presence in the Caribbean and has threatened the interim President, Delcy Rodríguez with assassination or further military attack;

Whereas, the U.S. uses military threat to force economic concessions from the Venezuelan government, who despite the violation of their sovereignty, remain committed to using their nationalized oil to fund the country’s development;

Whereas, the U.S. implemented a brief exemption on sanctions by allowing earthquake relief, which ends in October 2026, while at the same time maintaining the punishing economic sanctions that cripple Venezuela’s ability to respond to the disaster;

Whereas, President Maduro and First Lady Flores are currently being held at the MDC in Brooklyn, NY, awaiting trial for false, politically-motivated and egregious charges of so-called narcoterrorism.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Unite to fight to Free President Maduro and First Lady Flores for their safe return to Venezuela;
• Mobilize an action on October 3rd, 2026 as part of the National Day of Action;
• Mobilize the membership to attend the hearings and trial of President Maduro and First-Lady Cilia Flores, starting on October 8, 2026 and the consequent dates;
• Stand with President Maduro, First Lady Cilia Flores, Venezuela, and the allies of the Bolivarian Revolution against all U.S. coup attempts, military intervention, and U.S. sanctions.

Resolution to Defend Free Speech on Campus

Whereas, the right to free speech is constitutionally protected under the First Amendment, upheld by Supreme Court decisions, such as Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, and furthermore protected under state laws;

Whereas, Free speech on campuses all around the nation has faced escalated attacks since the 2025 Resolution “Defend Free Speech on Campus!”;

Whereas, there has been increased restrictions on campuses on protesting ranging from so-called "time, place, and manner" policies restricting free expression and policies demanding that flyers and tabling and protests be pre-approved by admin which has never been the case and violates students’ freedom of speech, protected by the first amendment of the Constitution;

Whereas, the Trump Administration issued NSPM-7 “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence” in order to suppress progressive voices in the people’s movements all across the country;

Whereas, at Florida State University, Tallahassee SDS has had its suspension from campus extended 2 years and even more pending their current case, with members Kaiden Rosa and JJ Glueck facing suspension for distributing flyers of a survivor’s story of sexual assault that called for an end to rape culture on campus, and with Mariana Guimaraes being fired from the Victim Advocate Program at FSU for criticizing the Title IX Office;

Whereas, universities have forcibly rescinded the registered student org status of SDS chapters. At the University of South Florida, Tampa Bay SDS has been illegally banned as a student organization as a result of their Gaza solidarity encampment. Administration has cracked down on student organizations by passing policy 6-028, limiting on campus flyering, tabling, signage, and events. SDS chapters are entitled to the same rights as any other student group;

Whereas, at Northern Arizona University, the administration and campus police have cracked down on Flagstaff SDS for leading protests demanding a sanctuary campus and opposing ICE, hitting vice president Sarah Rogala with conduct hearings and threats of suspension, having campus police issue a trespass warning with threats of arrest against president Claire Wagoner, and severely restricting the chapter’s ability to flyer, table, and reserve rooms;

Whereas, at Cal Poly Humboldt, SDS organizer Rick Toledo has faced extreme administrative and legal retaliation following a sit-in at Nelson Hall for Palestine and divestment, being placed on an interim suspension, fired from his campus job, arrested at his home by university police, and subjected to a search warrant that seized his phone and laptop, all while facing bogus criminal charges of assault, battery, and false imprisonment in a blatant attempt to criminalize student protest and hinder free speech;

Whereas, this year student activists and progressive organizations have faced increased attacks on free speech in Miami, Denver, Bozeman, Madison, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and others.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS WILL:

• Reaffirm our First Amendment right to free speech, press, and assembly. Mobilize and organize as many students as possible to defend the right to free speech on campus. Organize around policies restricting free speech and fight to organize on campus with registered student org status;
• Pursue different strategies and actions to uphold the right to free speech, including national days of actions, call-ins, and press releases;
• Build coalitions with and organize other student groups to attain the goal of securing freedom of speech;
• Defend free speech on campus!

“No MAGA Campus!” Resolution

Whereas, Donald Trump’s second term has been characterized by sweeping attacks on civil liberties, oppressed communities, and public institutions, including the targeting of higher education by Trump and his Education Secretary Linda McMahon;

Whereas, Universities across the United States of America have appeased Donald Trump’s reactionary demands, giving right wing politicians greater control over university policy;

Whereas, Academic freedom is being eroded by reactionary politicians. Programs that do not fit their ideologically driven agenda, such as those focused on marginalized cultures and communities, are being defunded or cut outright;

Whereas, Campus cultural centers are being shuttered and universities are becoming unsafe environments for students belonging to marginalized communities. Department of Homeland Security agents are invading communities across the country, and universities are no exception. Right wing university administrators have gone as far as collaborating with the DHS to abduct their own students. Israeli Defense Force soldiers are allowed to speak on campus with campus police protection while student protestors are arrested for demanding their universities divest from the State of Israel;

Whereas, The tendency for universities to be run primarily for profit is sharply intensifying, which first and foremost hurts the students that fund these institutions as they try to receive a decent education. Tuition is being raised while services that make universities better learning environments are being cut. Humanities department budgets are being slashed while administrators raise their own salaries.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Build a broad movement to fight the encroachment of Trump’s right wing agenda on campus;
• Fight against reactionary university policies;
• Challenge ICE presence on campus and in our communities;
• Defend cultural centers, cultural programs, and marginalized students;
• Demand universities defend students instead of catering to the Trump administration.

SDS Demands Women’s Liberation!

Whereas, rape culture continues to be a chronic problem on college campuses. A 2019 survey found 1 in 4 undergrad women experienced rape or sexual assault after coming to campus. The experience of sexual assault has historically lead to many women dropping out and abandoning their education. This continues to this day;

Whereas, college administrators claim to protect their students from sexual abuse and harassment. Yet from Cornell to Florida State, the very offices that claim to protect survivors cover up sexual abuse, deny victim’s justice, and let abusers off with little to no repercussions. In truth, American Universities perpetuate rape culture, protect rapists, and inflict further harm on survivors;

Whereas, Cornell University allowed seven fraternity members that brutally gang-raped Jane Doe to avoid accountability. Even after a survivor explicitly told campus police she was "100% confident" she was raped, administrators and law enforcement failed to pursue basic justice until a civil lawsuit forced the state to intervene;

Whereas, LSU chose to protect football player Damien Shanklin over survivor Kendall Francis after she reported being raped in a campus dorm. Despite an internal Title IX investigation officially finding Shanklin responsible for rape, LSU slashed his initial one-year suspension down to probation on appeal, welcomed him right back onto the football team, and forced Kendall to navigate campus alongside her abuser until she publicly shared her story and brought outside attention to the university's systemic failure;

Whereas, the Trump Administration, under the direction of Betsy Devos and Linda McMahon, has turned campus reporting via Title IX channels into a more burdensome process for survivors while increasing the protections for abusers. Recent Title IX changes have turned Title IX hearings into an adversarial courtroom trial, forcing victims to endure interrogation about the worst experiences of their lives. The changes have also restricted what counts as harassment, shielded university staff from accountability, and raised the burden of proof survivors must meet. The Title IX changes have also included the narrowing of the definition of sex discrimination, excluding queer students from federal recourse when they face harassment for their gender identity or sexuality;

Whereas, students advocating against rape culture are punished more severely than the rapists. At Florida State University, student leaders were fired (Mariana Guimaraes), and threatened with expulsion (JJ Glueck and Kaiden Rosa), for making their campus “uncomfortable” for a serial rapist at FSU and calling out FSU’s administration failing to bring justice to victims. At the conclusion of Kaiden and JJ’s conduct trials, they were both required to write 1-2 essays regarding their free speech. Kaiden was required to write one more essay than the seven Cornell students that brutally gang raped Jane Doe in 2024. We stand with brave survivors and student activists, not cowardly institutions that shield rapists;

Whereas, reproductive rights continue to be under attack in the United States. The 2022 Dobbs Supreme Court decision overturned Roe v. Wade and rolled back the right to an abortion. People across the country now face abortion bans and restrictions on birth control. Women are denied lifesaving procedures in the operating room as a result of these bans. This violation of bodily autonomy is shameful and unsafe. Studies have found that states with abortion bans and Republican political control have higher maternal and infant death rates. These mortality rates are even higher for Black women, as longstanding racial disparities in healthcare continue;

Whereas, these bans are being enforced via mass surveillance technology networks (Automated License Plate Readers, ALPRs), further weaponizing them to track down women pursuing reproductive healthcare. A Texas deputy used the network of cameras to track down a Texas woman for getting a self-managed abortion. Healthcare is a right, not a crime;

Whereas, women continue to earn less than their male counterparts. In particular Black and brown women face even greater wage disparities. Across every industry, women’s contributions are systematically undervalued. As of 2025, the average woman is paid 81 cents per dollar paid to the average man. The pay disparities are even more severe for women of color (Asian women: 96 cents, Black women: 65 cents, Latina women: 58 cents, Native American women: 58 cents). Similarly, the pay disparities are more severe for Trans women. A Human Rights Campaign report from 2021 found that US Trans women are paid 60 cents for every dollar the “typical worker” earns.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Create campaigns which demand real justice for survivors of sexual assault on college campuses;
• Demand affordable access to reproductive healthcare for all;
• Celebrate Women’s Day on March 8th and hold rallies and teach-ins;
• Call National Days of Action in response to attacks on reproductive healthcare and women’s rights.

Stop Trump’s Attacks!

Whereas, National SDS is a multi-issue organization that looks to build struggles that students and youth are willing to fight for on and off campus;

Whereas, Donald Trump, in his second term, has launched a series of attacks on the people as a part of his reactionary agenda;

Whereas, Trump has specifically targeted many gains won in the Civil Rights movement;

Whereas, a massive blow was dealt to voting rights for Black and Brown people in the Supreme Court decision of severely weakening Article 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1956. This leaves the door open for racist state legislatures to dismantle majority Black and Chicano districts, ultimately serving to disenfranchise Black voters;

Whereas, Trump passed an executive order banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in the federal government, and Trump’s Higher Ed Compact demanded universities similarly eliminate DEI programs. After universities largely rejected this, Republican state governments are putting Trump’s directives into practice locally;

Whereas, Trump actively enables increased law enforcement violence and brutality, including ending George Floyd-era federal oversight programs of police departments and releasing the National Guard on civilians in cities like D.C. and Los Angeles; these policies disproportionality contribute to the overpolicing of Black communities;

Whereas, Trump has released ICE terror into the streets of most major cities, including deployments of thousands in certain cities like Minneapolis, leading to horrifying mass deportations and numerous outright murders by agents. He has also attacked many legal protections for immigrants leading to deportation orders for many who came to the US ‘the right way;’

Whereas, attacks on women’s and reproductive rights are continuing under Trump’s 2nd term, including attacks on organizations like Planned Parenthood and weakening of Title IX protections for victims of sexual assault;

Whereas, Trump emboldens reactionary groups, including on campuses, to push his reactionary agenda, presenting an opportunity to unite students against those forces;

Whereas, Trump initiated an illegal war of aggression on Iran that not only denies sovereignty of the Iranian people abroad but also directs billions in tax-payer money to war abroad instead of the streets at home;

Whereas, Trump, in general, intensified direct U.S. intervention in South America, Africa, and Asia, including continued direct support for the genocidal state of Israel;

Whereas, the Trump admin has sought to suppress free speech in the wake of the many instances of resistance to Trump’s reactionary agenda;

Whereas, there have been countless cases of repression of activists on a federal, state, local, and campus level, often for engaging in first amendment activity that has not typically seen repercussions. This points to an overt increase in attacks on free speech by the Trump administration.

Whereas, all together, Trump’s attacks represent a battleground for action for student activists to take up to defend the gains of the people’s movement and win all that can be won.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT NATIONAL SDS:

• Fight Trump’s attacks on the people wherever they may appear;
• Expose Trump’s role in the attacks on our movements especially when they appear on the local level;
• Build concrete campaigns against Trump’s attacks, using hatred of Trump to unite the student movement in action;
• Call national days of action for attacks happening at the national level.