Dear Antioch Faculty and Staff,
Yesterday, the court in Greene County, Ohio, granted Antioch’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO). The TRO prohibits Coalition for the Common Good (CCG) leadership from acting on the resolutions passed by the CCG Board on Friday, August 28, 2026 and from taking adverse action against the AU Board of Governors, President, or leadership team. (Here is the full text of the TRO.) In practical terms, for the time being, the TRO preserves stability and the status quo. Our work at Antioch—holding classes, supporting students, and carrying out faculty and staff responsibilities—will continue as usual.
As we shared in Friday’s message and reiterated during yesterday’s Community Update meeting, we are confident that the CCG Board lacks the legal authority to carry out its threatened actions. Today’s ruling reinforces that confidence. Still, this is an early step in what may be a lengthy legal dispute, so we must pace ourselves for the many starts and stops ahead.
Thank you for continuing to serve our students during this deeply unsettling attempt by CCG leadership to take control of our institution. We are grateful for the genuine—and often unseen—ways you support our students and each other.
Rather than send an email recounting every development that occurs, we will post regular updates on the Antioch Forward microsite. When a ruling has a tangible effect on our shared work, however, I will let you know as soon as possible. As of now, the next court meeting is scheduled for September 14th when it will consider our request for a Preliminary Injunction.
Fact-finding, transparency, truth-telling, and collaboration will pave the path forward as we travel together toward a just resolution.
Sincerely,
Lori Varlotta
President, Antioch University