The recent decision by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that Northwestern University football players on scholarship are "employees" entitled to unionize under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) should serve as a wake-up call for higher education administrators. Part of a trend in which both the NLRB and unions are trying to expand the reach of collective bargaining into previously uncharted territory, the decision carries special significance for schools in New England, where there are many big-time athletic programs and an increasing amount of organizing activity. The "Northwestern" decision is currently on appeal to the NLRB in Washington and the matter will no doubt be settled by the courts if the NLRB affirms the regional director's decision. But common sense and practicality alone dictate that the regional decision is unworkable and should be overturned. This brief article discusses the implications of an upheld "Northwestern" decision, particularly for private-sector New England higher education institutions.