Stephen Brier

About the Author

Stephen Brier is a distinguished scholar and advocate in the realm of public higher education, with a career spanning decades of teaching, research, and activism. As a professor emeritus at the City University of New York (CUNY), he has dedicated himself to examining the intersections of labor rights, educational policy, and social justice, particularly in the face of neoliberal reforms and funding cuts. His seminal work, Austerity Blues: Fighting for the Soul of Public Higher Education, chronicles the struggles of faculty, students, and administrators to preserve accessible and equitable education amid economic austerity measures. Brier's writing draws on his firsthand experiences in union organizing and campus movements, offering incisive critiques and hopeful visions for the future of public institutions. A prolific essayist and historian, he continues to influence debates on educational equity through his ongoing scholarship and public engagement.