(This open letter is also a petition on Change.org)
Dear President John Comerford,
Do you truly understand the institution you chose to partner with?
For 174 years, Antioch University has challenged convention, advocated for social justice, and stood up for what we believe is right. We are an institution built on progressive thinking, action, and the courage to question authority. We don’t simply talk about our values. We live them.
Yet you seem to believe you can threaten our leadership, take control of our institution, and expect the people who make Antioch what it is to quietly accept it.
You have fundamentally misunderstood us.
When Antioch entered the Coalition for the Common Good, the promise was collaboration, shared resources, and a stronger future for our institutions. But good intentions don’t guarantee good outcomes. Responsible leaders recognize when something isn’t working, listen to difficult feedback, and work together to find a better path forward.
They don’t attempt to silence the people delivering that feedback.
President Lori Varlotta inherited this partnership. She did not negotiate the original agreement. She was asked by Antioch’s governing board to evaluate whether the coalition was delivering on its promises and report her findings.
Those findings raised serious concerns. Rather than engage with those concerns, CCG leadership pursued efforts to remove her, dissolve Antioch’s governing board, and assert greater control over our university.
President Comerford, who are you to decide that Antioch’s president should be removed because her assessment challenges your vision for the coalition?
You claimed the authority to place President Varlotta on administrative leave and appoint her replacement. Yet an October 21, 2026 preliminary court injunction protected Antioch’s governance, and Antioch’s leadership has publicly disputed your authority to take those actions unilaterally.
President Varlotta remains our president. Our Board of Governors remains in place.
You may disagree with her findings. You may disagree with our governing board. But disagreement does not entitle you to disregard Antioch’s governance or dictate who should lead our institution.
After seven years working at Antioch, I know what it feels like to be promised transparency and accountability. I also know how meaningful it is to finally see a leader willing to practice both.
I can only speak for myself, but I am not alone in my support for President Varlotta and this sentiment has been echoed by many of my colleagues.
President Varlotta may be small in stature, but her courage, conviction, and determination are mighty.
President Comerford, make no mistake: she does not stand alone. Behind her are people who know this institution, believe in its mission, and are equally determined to defend it. Please do not underestimate the resolve of the community standing behind her.
I work in admissions at Antioch. Every day, I recruit students, support their educational goals, and represent the mission and values of this university. My colleagues and I help generate the revenue that sustains Antioch and the people who work here.
I was here through the pandemic. I know the work our employees put into keeping this institution moving forward. I know what it takes to make the case for an education grounded in social justice.
That is precisely why I find the current situation so unacceptable.
My understanding is that CCG continues to exercise financial authority over Antioch, and that Antioch’s resources are being used to cover CCG’s legal expenses while Antioch is being prevented from using its own funds for legal representation.
How is it acceptable for Antioch to be expected to fund the legal efforts of an organization seeking greater control over our university while being denied access to its own funds to defend itself?
Our students do not pay tuition to fund your legal battles. They pay tuition to receive an education. I do not work every day to recruit students and generate revenue so those resources can be redirected toward litigation against the very university I represent.
Perhaps the greatest miscalculation you’ve made is believing that Antioch’s people would quietly accept what is happening to our university.
We are advocates. We are fighters for social justice. We are changemakers. Challenging authority, questioning injustice, and standing up for what we believe in are not simply chapters in Antioch’s history. They are who we are today.
Antioch is not merely a governing board, a president, or an organizational structure. Antioch is its students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the values that have sustained it for generations.
You cannot take control of those things through litigation. The late Congressman John Lewis spoke of making “good trouble.” Antioch has spent generations doing exactly that.
President Comerford, stop the litigation and return to mediation. Respect our president, our governing board, and the people who work every day to keep this university moving forward.
You may be able to challenge our governance, but you cannot dictate our convictions. You cannot demand our loyalty. You cannot silence the people who make Antioch what it is.
We have spent more than 170 years challenging the status quo, and we are not about to stop now.
In solidarity with the Antioch community,
Jamie Wheeler
Antioch University