More than 170 university, college and scholarly society presidents yesterday published a joint statement opposing the treatment by US President Donald Trump’s administration of higher education institutions, coming together to speak out after Harvard University said the administration was threatening its independence.
The statement, signed by presidents from such institutions as Princeton, Brown, Harvard, the University of Hawaii and Connecticut State Community College, criticized what it described as “the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education.”
“We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,” the statement said. “However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.”
Photo: AP
The White House did not respond to a request for comment about the statement.
The joint statement is the latest show of resistance from US higher education leaders as the Trump administration seeks to leverage its financial heft to overhaul academia.
On Monday last week, Harvard rejected numerous demands from the administration, which is seeking oversight of the university’s student body, faculty and curriculum in an apparent effort to curb what it perceives as its liberal bias.
Soon after, the administration announced it was freezing US$2.3 billion in federal funding to the school.
A statement by White House deputy press secretary Harrison Fields at that time said Trump wants to ensure taxpayer dollars do not support racial discrimination or racially motivated violence.
The administration also threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status and take away its ability to enroll foreign students.
On Monday, Harvard sued the Trump administration to try to force it to end its orders freezing funds and withdraw demands it has made, accusing the federal government of trying to overhaul Harvard’s governance, control its faculty hiring and dictate what faculty may teach its students.
On Monday, Harvard sued the Trump administration to try to force it to end its orders freezing funds and withdraw demands it has made, accusing the federal government of trying to “overhaul Harvard’s governance, control Harvard’s faculty hiring and dictate what faculty may teach Harvard students” for ideological reasons.
Harvard said in its lawsuit that government attempts to “coerce and control” the university violated the Constitution’s protections for speech. It also accused the government of failing to follow procedures set out under federal civil rights laws.
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