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Everyone.

Steve Adubato.

We kick off the program with Todd Wilson, who's the president of the American Association of University Professors.

Acronym a u p. As a former member, I will disclose that when I was at Rutgers as a professor early on in my career.

Hey, Todd, tell everyone what the organization is.

We'll put up the website right now.

Yeah, we're like a 110 year old organization, even a little bit older than that.

Founded by John Dewey.

First, it was founded to be a voice for professors in universities, as an advocate organization.

And for the first 50 years, that's really what it did in the 70s.

It started also unionizing faculty in higher education.

And so, from that time forward we started building local unions and giving collective bargaining, fighting for collective bargaining rights like at Rutgers.

And so today we are we hold both of those histories.

So one level, we advocate for all faculty.

At another level, we have 60,000 dues paying members across 600 campuses.

100 of those campuses have collective bargaining rights, and 500 are just chapters where they're faculty that don't have collective bargaining rights All right, let's get into this.

Let's do it.

Word association.

Okay, Todd.

All right.

I say academic freedom.

You say under threat.

Make the case.

I'll make the case.

We have.

We actually just release a report today about this under, under the the Trump administration 2.0.

We have never seen thi kind of attack on the academic freedom of facult in the history of the country, and that's including the McCarthy period period.

And so in the late Senator Joe McCarthy is a communist everywhere.

Why would you connect?

What's going on no to the Red scare, McCarthy era?

I'll tell you why.

Because in that era, the federal government, through a series of different committees, including who actually forget what it stands for, American House un-American Activities Committee.

Yeah, thank you for that, Steve.

Thank you for the assist.

That's what happens when you're older and you know this crap.

Go ahead.

I'm impressed.

So they dragged over 100 faculty in front of it during that time, and many lost their jobs.

Are you a communist?

Do you know of a communist?

This isn't that.

Respectfully, I'm playing devil's advocate.

But be serious.

It's not like that.

Todd, it's not that.

Can I?

Can I tell you.

Steve, please go ahead.

The week after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, 50 faculty lost their jobs which is almost as many as lost their jobs during the Red scare.

With no due process.

Now you have to do it, Charlie Kirk.

Yeah.

So a faculty member in ex state said I didn't like him.

He should.

I don't feel bad for him.

And the university would come and fire that tenured faculty for saying something that they said was out of political bounds.

So it's like, look the Red scare and the the claims around communism look different, but the impact is the same.

And I want to tell you why I think it's worse than the McCarthy period, because during that period it was individual faculties.

Faculty members losing their job.

Now the Trump administration is writing demand letters to universities telling them that if they don't change what they teach, who teaches, they will.

Exactly.

They will lose $500 million in federal funding for research on cancer and Alzheimer's and diabetes.

And so in the McCarthy period, it was an attack on individual faculty.

This time around, it' an attack on individual faculty, and it's an attack on universities writ large.

But more devil's advocate do it.

There are millions of Americans, at least a couple million hope.

And watching right now who are going, you know what universities to far left a friend a close family friend of ours.

Our daughter's a couple years away from college.

We're looking at colleges.

This close friend said to my wife, just make sure she doesn't want to go.

Go one of those really liberal colleges.

There are millions of American who believe that universities, colleges and universities across the board, across the country have leaned too far left to many of the faculty, are too far left, are Democrats, are progressives, are socialists, communists, blah blah, blah, blah, blah.

There's not enough balance by any reasonable standard.

The statistics would bear tha out politically, ideologically.

But why do you say that's not an issue that people should be concerned about?

Well all right.

First of all, I represent 60,000 people.

The majority of the people I represent are dreaming about a black hole, or they're trying to figure out how to create a therapy for your mother when she goes to the doctor and has Alzheimer's, or they're trying to figure out how to build the best bridge.

They are not political roles.

They are just people trying to trai the next generation of nurses.

Engineers take them off the table because they're doing God's work, doing important work.

Well, that's that's that's 90% of what we're talking about when we talk about faculty.

By far, there are more Stem faculty than faculties in American studies, which is one of their favorite hit jobs.

This whole argument about Wokingham and leftist about woke is that it is a produced argument.

I mean, look, I'll say this.

I will admit this.

First, there's maybe a tilt to the left.

Sure the more people are educated in any study, the more they vote Democrat, for instance.

That's saying that people who are smarter wind up voting more Democratic.

No, that's that's it.

Well, it's a proven fact, and it's written in project 2025.

You can go look at it.

Right.

And so what this is really about is about undermining higher education because it's a threat to some political agendas.

Oh what's the threat.

What's the threat.

Yeah.

Well every single time.

What's a threat to those who what's the threat to those who you argue want to financially?

I don't want to use the word I was thinking of, but basically make it clear to universities and to professors that if you have certain policies around Wokingham, die, etc., etc.. Anti-Trump.

What anti Charlie Kirk, who was, God forbid, assassinated.

We're going to use financial wherewithal to stop you.

What are they threatened by there.

Threatene by an independent institution.

So every time there are regimes that lean authoritarian, I' not saying that's what they are, but lean in that direction.

There is a playbook, and there are three parts of society that always come under threat.

One is the courts.

The second is the free press and the third is a public higher education system.

And the reason why the public higher education system always comes under threa is because it's an independent sector of society that helps develop ideology and is independently abl to challenge political positions because people do research on politics, on history, on so on, on society.

And so that's threatening to a government that doesn't want to be challenged.

So the same reason I apologize for the same reason that the press comes under threat.

Yeah, we know, but those of us know broadcasting know a little bit about that.

I know you do.

And it's for the same reason, because it's an independent voice that offers a counterbalance to a very strong government.

At times higher ed is the exact same way.

So the argumen that we're woke D-I all trying to teach our kids about Marxism is like, it's a red herring, because what they really want to do is under mine, a system they can't control.

How difficult is it for faculty members outside of the research you were talking about?

That's largely scientific health oriented, medical, etc.?

How difficult that was.

Actually, our daughter was looking a Columbia University of New York, and you couldn't get on to the campus.

The security there is intense.

How difficult is it in this environment to talk and teach about the Middle East, Israel and Gaza?

I want to I'm going to answer that.

But I just also want to just mark how ridiculous some of this is.

I have a faculty membe who's an she's studying the the the diversity of the bird genome in a species in in the southwest.

Her research was cut becaus the title had diversity in it.

They keyword search and cut research.

Another research project was cut.

They wanted to understand the difference between literacy rates and urban settings and in, suburban settings.

And that was coded as research or infant mortality in urban settings versus suburban settings.

Again coded as D.I.

And so those research projects were cut.

I just want I want to flag that.

But to get to your important question about before you go to the Gaza Israel thing, we're starting a family foundation, the Audubon Center for Media Leadership, as a 501 C3, which is a tax code for a nonprofit.

We did all the paperwork, and then we got some words from the IRS.

Yeah, we want to make sure that you're a nonprofit.

And we're like, what?

And we're media organization.

Nobody's making money.

And I'm not putting our dirty laundry out there.

What I'm telling you is we were like, where's that coming from?

Why would the IRS be?

Because the word media is in there.

Media leadership, media literacy.

I don't know what the rationale is, but odd to say the least.

Pick up your point about God's in the Middle East and teaching for your professors, your members in this environment.

Yeah, I will look, it's it's the most difficult thing I've ever been in, in higher education since 2001 when I started my PhD.

And so over the last 25 years or so, I have never seen anything like this.

And I'll say, look, it's hard for our Jewish faculty.

It's hard for Israelis who are in this country.

But the people who have been suffering the most have been people who are teaching or speaking out on Palestine.

That doesn't mean and and I'm Jewish.

I want to be really clear.

But when I look at the faculty who are losing their jobs, losing their livelihoods, students who are getting kicked out.

For the most part, it's happening to people who are speaking up on Gaza.

And so it's a real problem.

We need to work together to figure out a way to have a hybrid system that can deal with difficult, difficult, heartbreaking issues like the Middle East and move forward and fight throug and think through these issues without the kind of outcomes we're having, which is deep, deep distrust and people losing their jobs and people being fearful to come to campus because they feel like they're being persecuted.

And so it's a really difficult and across the board, but certainly New York City has been one of the places where it's been hardest.

You believe that's still what you believe that.

See?

I don't want to get go down a rabbit hole here.

You've been talking abou the Trump administration.

Sure.

And what?

Their policies as you perceive them.

Right?

Yes.

Do you believe that all of a sudde there's a different president, another Republican or a Democrat, but not Donald Trump because he can't serve again?

Last time I checked the Constitution that this goes away, that academic freedom just comes back and hire it.

And professors, your members don't have to worry about this anymore.

No, we have a lo of pieces to put back together.

Our biomedical researc infrastructure has been really difficult, destroyed, and there's a lot to rebuild.

But also the trust has been really talking about funding to NIH.

You're talking about all kinds of programs talking about.

Yeah, cancer labs that we're doing critical research that have been shut down and shuttered and like that cancer that may have produced the next critical therapy that would have come to market in 2026 and no won't come to market until 2028.

And it might not be in time for your father, brother, sister, mother, friend, neighbor.

So, yeah, that's been completely dismantled.

I can't believe that that's what the Trump administration has wanted and wanted through this.

Well, I don't know either, bu it's not intended consequence.

Well, have you not seen them bite off their nose despite their face a few times on a bunch of different types of issues?

So who knows what they're thinking?

It's hard to get inside of such an erratic leadership.

But when I can say is that it will have devastating impact to Americans.

Wow.

Todd Wilson is the president of the American Association of University Professors.

How many members again, 60,000 faculty members.

Growing and growing faculty members across the country.

Todd.

Thank you.

We'll continue.

I promise we'll have you back.

There's so much more to talk about, but wish you and your members all the best.

Thank you.

Steve, anytime you want to talk, I'm here.

You got to stay with us for right back.

To watch more think tank with Steve Adubato, find us online and follow us on social media.

Hi, I'm jacki, senior correspondent for One on One, and I'm here at the new Jersey sharing network five K Celebration of Life her in New Providence, new Jersey.

And we're taking this day t honor and talk to so many people who have been impacted by organ and tissue donation.

Joining us now is to Shad Bristol.

She's a liver and kidney recipient, double organ recipient and the team leader at MTF biologics.

Yes.

It's so great to have you with us.

Well, first tell us about MTF biologics because that is another important organization tied to tissue donation.

Yes, biologics is an amazing company.

I work with the dermis department and as you said, I'm a team lead.

Where we where we heal and save lives every day.

My department primarily works with dermal tissue breast reconstruction.

We work with birth tissue as well, and we're doing amazing work every day.

Bone reconstruction, anything you can think about?

Dealing with the body healing.

MTF does it.

And there was there's millions and millions of people every year that are receiving tissue donations in some form for basi and very complicated surgeries that are really improving lives and enhancing lives all over, not just the United States, but we're in a lot of other countries to right MTF.

Yes, Australia, we do a special tissue just for Australia.

And to be honest with you, it's more common to have tissue transplants are more common than Oregon, although organ transplants are more popular, I want to say just more known here.

But millions of people every day receive tissue, bone.

A lot of athletes receiv a lot of our tissue, our bones.

So yeah, MTF is amazing.

Doing amazing work every day.

And you've been there five years now.

And I want to talk about your journey to this, to being part of such an important organization and close to your heart.

So first let's take this back to the fact that you were diagnosed.

And when you're a child living with polycystic kidney disease, also known as PKD.

First tell us about that disease, because it's a genetic mutation that you get usually passed down from family members.

Correct, correct.

And it usually my family I'm the fourth recipient of liver and kidney transplant in my family because it usually skips a child.

So, PKD attacks basically your liver.

It starts with your liver and can also work with it starts with your kidney actually.

Sorry.

And transition to liver.

So it can be large cysts that form in your live and your kidney and eventually, you know, cause damage to the point where you are going into renal failure.

And the only next option is a transplant.

So you said you're the fourth out of your family to receive a transplant to save your life.

Yes.

Wow.

So your family has really seen so much on the organ donation and recipient side of things?

Yes.

Talk about your journey, though.

Specifically receiving.

First it was the liver and then the kidney.

Yes.

A year apart.

Correct.

So tell us about that journey for you and going through the process.

I was diagnosed with PK about 14 years old and was fine.

I lived a healthy life until I was about, 35 or so and I started having symptoms.

And, I mean, I went from, like, living a normal life to within two months of just basically going through full renal failure.

Oh that's okay.

I got on the transplant list, received my liver, and my recovery was well, I was doing so amazing.

I was so happy, ready to return to work.

And then I started having complications with my kidney.

And year later in 2024 I received a kidney transplant.

And it was life saving.

I mean, I got back to work, I got back to my normal life.

I got back to being a mom again, which was one of the most important things for me.

But the journey was I had a really good support system, voted MTF and at home with my family because we have been through this process.

So, I think I'm so appreciative of my support system and during the transplant journey.

And this the sharing network, what the share network does.

Because when you come here, transplant being on the transplant list, although you have a support syste can be lonely within yourself.

And when you come to an event, a share, a network event and you see all these people, people donate and who recipients, you're like, I'm not alone.

There are so many other people like me, you know, living every day an surviving every day with this.

It's a big family.

And how are you using today to honor your donors?

Because you have two daughters that really saved your life within a two year time frame.

Emotionally, how do you cope with that and deal with that?

And how are you honoring both of them?

I, I have not yet met my donor families, which I feel like is a par of my extended family, I think.

I am so excited.

I can't wait to have that day when I can reach out and meet my donor family and have that, you know, hopefully they're open to it becaus there is in the transplant life, there is a loss and then there's life.

So you have to find a balance on how to connect the two.

So here honoring them, being here, walking about my support system so we can represent them, you know, and we can let people know that life can we can life can begin here.

We can be happy.

And I'm every day living to the fullest just so that I can show them.

I appreciate the gift they gave and living to the fullest.

You mentioned your daughter, who I know for you was a miracle.

Talk about being able to have her because so many people sai you probably wouldn't be able.

This was before the transplants.

This is when you were living with PKD.

Talk about your daughter.

So I remember when I went to my nephrologist because, you know, my mom knowing what PCD was like at 13, I did have a nephrologist and I would see him, and in my 20s I remember going to my nephrologist and said, no, my God, I'm having a baby.

And he lost it and I was just taken back by his reaction.

You know, I'm like, why are you not happy?

And he goes, you can die.

Do you not understand?

People with PKD should not have children.

And, you know, and I was so stunned and my daughter literally was like a miracle because my pregnancy was s I was healthy the entire time.

Everything.

And even when I went through my transplant, waiting for my on transplant, my daughter did so well.

She is such a strong perso where she was on the honor roll.

And I mean, she was kind of going through this because I was in and out of the hospital.

I, you know, and I'm so happy.

Ariana, I love you so much.

She couldn't be here today.

But I am so happ that, you know, I stuck it out.

And I decided that I was going to do this and it was one of the best decisions I made.

It was your miracle baby that also helped propel you through, I'm sure was a driving force to getting better after those transplants, because after transplant, it's not.

You're not just jumping back to life.

Yeah you're on a lot of medications.

And how are you feeling today?

Oh, I'm feeling I am doing great.

I feel so good.

I have another colleague whose husband is actually waiting for a transplant, and I met with them because they're at the point where you're discouraged.

And I said to him, I was like, listen, when you have that transplan the next day when you wake up, I said, you feel automatically so much better.

I said, your life.

You start really appreciating your life from that day.

So, it's amazing my recovery next year.

My goal is to run the entire 5KI love that, that's great.

So my practice starts from tomorrow.

Okay, today I am going to be here as a support system, but my goal next year is to run the entire race.

So yeah, and talk about the people that are here with you today, celebrating your gift that saved your life, the gifts that your family members received, saving their lives, and being a part of this MTF biologics team too.

Sure.

So my sister is here with me.

So my sister went through this from the beginning.

My sister actuall was going to be my living donor.

And she, you know, she we went through the process.

She went to every single appointment.

The day of my surgery, she sat with me in the hospital for hours.

My sister also works for me as she works in DBS.

And she primary deals with bones and ligaments, so that's what my sister does.

So I am so happy she's here with me.

I'm here with my best friend who is my prayer warrior.

She prayed me through this and I'm so happy to have the support system.

And then my MTF family, my dermis team, who I am so happy they're all here and we are getting ready to walk and I'm so happy.

Yeah, I see my supervisors, everyone in here, and Joe and President and CEO Joe is here.

And so MTF is here.

We're here to support.

We're here to show that this is a family, and we're supporting each other through this whole entire process of transplant and everything.

And finally that family extending to the new Jersey sharing network.

How important is it to you to continue to push the message of orga and tissue donation, not just as working with MTF biologics and as a recipient, but also through the new Jersey sharing in their mission.

So the share network okay, so the share network shares they literally share.

So my daughter had a career day and I reached ou to the Share network.

They came.

And I can tell you everyone the kids loved it.

Not just the educatio they received, but just the warm welcome of the share network.

I will always be at a shared network event.

I think the support of social media getting the word out there.

I told you, I spoke to a colleague.

I told them I was like, listen to share a network.

I pushed the sharing network everywhere I go.

I tell people I was like go on the website, go on there.

If you are in the beginning of this process, you don't know where to go.

This is where you need to be.

The sharing.

This is a lifeline.

This is a lifeline.

This is for me.

This is where it begins.

Starting this journe and not knowing what to expect.

You need to start a to share network.

You go to the sharing network and you will have all the information you need.

You will have the support you need.

You can reach out.

There's always someone there that is willing and able to help you navigate, you know, the transplant life, everything that comes with it.

Yeah.

And like you said, I mean, it's a family here when you're walking around out there, just finally describe what it feels like when you're walking around outside of this event today.

There's tents everywhere.

There's teams everywhere.

There's people up on stage.

The bone tones are performing from the empty logics and there is a vibe in the air.

Describe that for us.

Before you head out there, I get I got here and of course I' with my friends and I'm running into all my colleagues and I'm like, oh, hey.

And then I'm like, wait, I where do I go?

And you can walk up to anyone in the share network.

Everyone is always smiling.

They're happy and they're like, oh wait, I'll take you.

Where do you need to go?

There, navigating you through the whole process.

It's such a loving atmosphere.

From the minute you show up, it's welcoming, it's loving.

I love, I love the sharing.

I love all of their events.

It's amazing.

Great to be here.

Thank you so much for sharing your story.

We're so glad that you're doing so well and you're able to join us today to share your experiences.

Thank you so much.

Think tank with Steve Adubato is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

Funding has been provide by the Audubon Center for Media Leadership, new Jersey Sharing Network, Hackensack Meridian Health, Community Food Bank of new Jersey, the Adler Aphasia Center, PS, and G. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, NJ insurance Group and by the fund for new Jersey.

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