The University of South Dakota’s decision to honor Governor Kristi Noem with an honorary doctorate has stirred considerable unrest across multiple campuses statewide. Both students and faculty have voiced strong opposition rooted in concerns over her administration’s stringent immigration policies—measures seen as harmful to undocumented students’ rights and access to education. The controversy is further intensified by the presence of a doctoral candidate confronting deportation proceedings who will also be recognized during this event.

Protest movements have coalesced around several key demands aimed at promoting fairness within higher…