I am very disappointed with the proposed response to Trump's threats to academic freedom & free speech.
Trump's attempts @ being a dictator must be Resisted by every American who believes in democracy, freedom & justice. Every institution of higher learning should join in a law suit outlawing this invasion of academic freedom. To capitulation just puts another nail in the coffin of our democracy.
It makes me very sad every time I read in the news that another university has caved in to his demands or given him money. I just can't understand how any intelligent person could possibly support him (though he was quoted saying, "Smart people don't like me".)
He's using federal funding as a blunt instrument to bully these institutions, and not all of them can resist He and his Project 2025 henchmen know they can succeed with a large portion of academia if they can get it past the court.
Yes, I know he's wielding the power of the office like a sword and what's worse, the people are letting him. Our only hope is to retake as much as we can in 2026...assuming he still allows elections to take place.
You’re missing the point. We’re not just trying to protect universities independence. We’re trying to push back on every front against tyranny. Your suggestion is giving in when we should be doubling down on our resistance.
I agree Trump presents a mortal threat. I too am disappointed in the proposed response. First, I do not think it will work. But even if it does, it only forestalls a future assault and shakedown. I think Universities must act to remove the present threat and forestall any future threats. I would propose something roughly as follows (details to be determined). Identify benefits uniquely provided by a university besides honorary degrees. This varies by school. Let's take MIT. They could return federal funds in areas Trump values (e.g., AI, machine learning). They would then raise the funds elsewhere. Sources include endowment funds, independent benefactors, alumni, private research contracts, Canada or even funds from the Massachusetts state legislature. I can imagine a consortium of blue states funding research on their own outside the Federal system. For my alma mater, Michigan, it would be a different mix. It would be some scientific research and a suspension of football and basketball. Trump likes his sports. Now he won't get them. For Texas A&M (not likely to be interested) it would be Federal funds for petroleum engineering. In each case funds would be raised from other sources. The key is to stop taking Federal funds. I would not even consider trying to do this with agreements with Trump. He will break any agreements he makes. I think professional schools like Harvard Law or Harvard Business School may have to do something different, but again, refusing Federal funds is a must. They would become giant Hillsdale colleges. Stanford would hit the daily double, suspending football and refusing to do AI and computer science for the Federal government. Health research would have to proceed the same way. I do think blue state legislators, alumni, and beneficiaries of Federal research could be persuaded to support the current research being done in many Universities. Obviously there are details to be sorted out, but the basic stance is denying Trump and his minions what they want which cannot be supplied elsewhere. I would have liked NVIDIA or Apple to have pushed back but they are far too easily intimidated by Trump, tariffs and the stock market to take a hit by denying Trump his demands. I actually believe if Apple had just said no to Trump's demands and stopped selling iphones here in the US for 2-3 months, that could have broken Trump right there.
This University exit from Federal funding idea is a serious proposal. The reason Larry proposes honorary degrees is he thinks Harvard degrees would appeal to Trump in a way Trump University degrees would not. I agree. But honorary degrees are good for a few weeks given Trump's attention span, tops.
Withholding something of value to Trump and his wealthy colleagues (not the MAGA base) would have an impact. The Universities can have the upper hand if they choose this mode of resistance. If at some point in the future, the Federal government wants to get back into the research business, it will have to be on different terms. Final note here. We are talking about roughly $60 billion. While that is a large number, I think that can be financed from endowment financing, gifts, some control on salary and inviting outside donors to step up to fill the gap.
Ideas and suggestions building on this idea are welcome. Fyi, I was a professor at Carnegie-Mellon University. We did sometimes refuse gifts whose costs exceeded their benefits. I did see colleagues refuse to do research for certain funders. Not often, but I did see this happen.
This Afghan Special Forces officer, once a brave ally of the United States and Europe, was tragically forgotten and left behind. Eventually, he fled from the Taliban’s revenge and escaped to Moscow. From there, he began a perilous journey toward Belarus through irregular routes. Unfortunately, upon reaching Belarus, he was brutally beaten by border forces to such an extent that his arm was severely injured, eventually turning black. Doctors later had no choice but to amputate it.
Where are the principles of human rights? Where are the allies who once stood shoulder to shoulder with him? He was not a war prisoner — he was a wounded veteran of the Afghan Special Forces, abandoned and left to suffer such a tragic fate at the hands of the cruel Belarusian police.
"Signatories commit to rigorous, good faith, empirical assessment of a broad spectrum of viewpoints among faculty, students, and staff at all levels and to sharing the results of such assessments with the public; and to seek such a broad spectrum of viewpoints not just in the university as a whole, but within every field, department, school, and teaching unit."
The Compact's aim here is very modest. It is not to say that conservatives must be hired, but that a conservative applicant for a position must be judged fairly, rather than vetoes. Conservatives are far from hoping to get, say, parity in hiring. They just want hiring conservaties to be *possible". Now, it is not, in many departments.
He may be working to end conflicts that he's tired of dealing with, but what about the bombing of small craft off the coast of Venezuela and sending ICE shock troops into Chicago terrorizing local American citizen families.
Offering an honorary doctorate to a person unworthy diminishes the value of the institution. This whole shakedown of academic institutions is another example of the petty insecurities of this President and his administration. I appreciated the discussion around each section of the Compact. I don't agree with the proposed response.
Why not PE firms? They don't take federal money. The answer is, don't take federal money and have all the freedom you want (see Hillsdale). Take federal money, there are strings. There were strings before Trump too.
I'd say it's a bluff, more than a mortal threat. The government can't attach those conditions to grant applications in such a heavy-handed way-- though in the past it's done worse things by, for example, sending out the Obama"Dear Colleague" letter asking for the elimination of due process for sexual harassment defendants. That example shows, though, how universities surrender when their freedom is threatened (IRB's too, which heavily censor research).
Much of the Compact is crazy-- for example, nobody knows how to get a department to represent a spectrum of viewpoints, and it's probably a bad idea anyway. What the Compact ought to have said in section 2 is very simple: "Don't veto job candidates because of their political views". I think the Administration would call it a victory if they got that. They can't expect to get 50% Republicans in a department, but it's feasible and OK to ask for more than 0%.
The Gleichschaltung, by the way, was the idea of replacing every private organization by a Nazi equivalent. They didn't apply it to the universities, though of course they fired leftwingers and Jews. It's interesting to note that one of the drivers of those firings was student activism. German universities in those days were conservative.
I see I should explain: the govt. can try to apply those conditions, but the courts will stop them. The sophisticated way, used previously, is to go through the NIH, NSF, etc. and say that grant applications with the right politics will be favored (the DEI style), which the courts would allow, unfortunately.
I assume most respondents are from academia like Larry? The description of colleges and universities as Meccas of free speech, and open debate is an indication of how distorted one becomes the longer they exist in the contaminated toxic environment. The indoctrination you fear has been going on for a long time and has every similarity to communist propaganda. Harvard the temple of higher learning just hired some drag queen to lecture young minds on the politics of drag. The level of accepted depravity is unending when the goal is anarchy. It’s only natural to accuse others of everything you’re guilty of when your Ivy Tower is being challenged.
American Universities have been a mess for many decades. Its both boring and nauseating to listen to the left respond to any kind of standard in this pegan mutual admiration society they call education.
you’re jumping to a lot of conclusions based on very little info. maybe the US univ system can be improved and of course it can, but it is still the best in the world. the tables have turned; conservatives used to counsel liberals that constructive change needs to be incremental. now it’s the “right” that wants to tear it all down.
It must be a mystery to you, given how awful you say the American university system is, that it is acclaimed the world over as being the best anywhere, which is why students from all over the world come here to experience it. By definition, MAGA people like you hate the actual America that exists, fantasizing about a better one that never did.
U are the reason people drop out of college. When professors adhere to your perverse views then america is great, but when they dont it's suddenly not so good. That's the litmus test when people find liberal universities great, then its likely because their views are being served. Im conservative, so im not a fan of your favorite 'schools'.
I am very disappointed with the proposed response to Trump's threats to academic freedom & free speech.
Trump's attempts @ being a dictator must be Resisted by every American who believes in democracy, freedom & justice. Every institution of higher learning should join in a law suit outlawing this invasion of academic freedom. To capitulation just puts another nail in the coffin of our democracy.
Jerry Frankel
Jeff, I'm fine with that too. I'm just concerned with the free-rider problem. The universities haven't worked together so far. best, Larry
PS, I do think Trump is trying to achieve peace and should be acknowledged for what are is extraordinary efforts in this regard.
It makes me very sad every time I read in the news that another university has caved in to his demands or given him money. I just can't understand how any intelligent person could possibly support him (though he was quoted saying, "Smart people don't like me".)
He's using federal funding as a blunt instrument to bully these institutions, and not all of them can resist He and his Project 2025 henchmen know they can succeed with a large portion of academia if they can get it past the court.
Yes, I know he's wielding the power of the office like a sword and what's worse, the people are letting him. Our only hope is to retake as much as we can in 2026...assuming he still allows elections to take place.
You’re missing the point. We’re not just trying to protect universities independence. We’re trying to push back on every front against tyranny. Your suggestion is giving in when we should be doubling down on our resistance.
Tracy, Not caving. Just concerned about free riding. See my comment back to Jerry. best, Larry
I agree Trump presents a mortal threat. I too am disappointed in the proposed response. First, I do not think it will work. But even if it does, it only forestalls a future assault and shakedown. I think Universities must act to remove the present threat and forestall any future threats. I would propose something roughly as follows (details to be determined). Identify benefits uniquely provided by a university besides honorary degrees. This varies by school. Let's take MIT. They could return federal funds in areas Trump values (e.g., AI, machine learning). They would then raise the funds elsewhere. Sources include endowment funds, independent benefactors, alumni, private research contracts, Canada or even funds from the Massachusetts state legislature. I can imagine a consortium of blue states funding research on their own outside the Federal system. For my alma mater, Michigan, it would be a different mix. It would be some scientific research and a suspension of football and basketball. Trump likes his sports. Now he won't get them. For Texas A&M (not likely to be interested) it would be Federal funds for petroleum engineering. In each case funds would be raised from other sources. The key is to stop taking Federal funds. I would not even consider trying to do this with agreements with Trump. He will break any agreements he makes. I think professional schools like Harvard Law or Harvard Business School may have to do something different, but again, refusing Federal funds is a must. They would become giant Hillsdale colleges. Stanford would hit the daily double, suspending football and refusing to do AI and computer science for the Federal government. Health research would have to proceed the same way. I do think blue state legislators, alumni, and beneficiaries of Federal research could be persuaded to support the current research being done in many Universities. Obviously there are details to be sorted out, but the basic stance is denying Trump and his minions what they want which cannot be supplied elsewhere. I would have liked NVIDIA or Apple to have pushed back but they are far too easily intimidated by Trump, tariffs and the stock market to take a hit by denying Trump his demands. I actually believe if Apple had just said no to Trump's demands and stopped selling iphones here in the US for 2-3 months, that could have broken Trump right there.
This University exit from Federal funding idea is a serious proposal. The reason Larry proposes honorary degrees is he thinks Harvard degrees would appeal to Trump in a way Trump University degrees would not. I agree. But honorary degrees are good for a few weeks given Trump's attention span, tops.
Withholding something of value to Trump and his wealthy colleagues (not the MAGA base) would have an impact. The Universities can have the upper hand if they choose this mode of resistance. If at some point in the future, the Federal government wants to get back into the research business, it will have to be on different terms. Final note here. We are talking about roughly $60 billion. While that is a large number, I think that can be financed from endowment financing, gifts, some control on salary and inviting outside donors to step up to fill the gap.
Ideas and suggestions building on this idea are welcome. Fyi, I was a professor at Carnegie-Mellon University. We did sometimes refuse gifts whose costs exceeded their benefits. I did see colleagues refuse to do research for certain funders. Not often, but I did see this happen.
Thats a real yawner.
This Afghan Special Forces officer, once a brave ally of the United States and Europe, was tragically forgotten and left behind. Eventually, he fled from the Taliban’s revenge and escaped to Moscow. From there, he began a perilous journey toward Belarus through irregular routes. Unfortunately, upon reaching Belarus, he was brutally beaten by border forces to such an extent that his arm was severely injured, eventually turning black. Doctors later had no choice but to amputate it.
Where are the principles of human rights? Where are the allies who once stood shoulder to shoulder with him? He was not a war prisoner — he was a wounded veteran of the Afghan Special Forces, abandoned and left to suffer such a tragic fate at the hands of the cruel Belarusian police.
"Signatories commit to rigorous, good faith, empirical assessment of a broad spectrum of viewpoints among faculty, students, and staff at all levels and to sharing the results of such assessments with the public; and to seek such a broad spectrum of viewpoints not just in the university as a whole, but within every field, department, school, and teaching unit."
The Compact's aim here is very modest. It is not to say that conservatives must be hired, but that a conservative applicant for a position must be judged fairly, rather than vetoes. Conservatives are far from hoping to get, say, parity in hiring. They just want hiring conservaties to be *possible". Now, it is not, in many departments.
He may be working to end conflicts that he's tired of dealing with, but what about the bombing of small craft off the coast of Venezuela and sending ICE shock troops into Chicago terrorizing local American citizen families.
He is not a man of peace, or hope for the future, a key Nobel value.
Yawn..
Offering an honorary doctorate to a person unworthy diminishes the value of the institution. This whole shakedown of academic institutions is another example of the petty insecurities of this President and his administration. I appreciated the discussion around each section of the Compact. I don't agree with the proposed response.
Larry,
Thanks for the reply. I doubt Trump cares about peace. Seems his only purpose is to satisfy his narcissistic itch for accolade.
Here are some reasons off the top of my head.
1. Adopts Putin‘s language and strategy about Ukraine, except for the occasional week when he’s
threatening Tomahawk missiles and nuclear subs.
2. Proposes to relocate all the Palestinians in Gaza to somewhere(?) so he can build a resort on the Mediterranean.
3. Consistently insults and threatens our NATO allies such that they are now making plans for a NATO without US commitment.
4. Violates core treaties that regulate war and international relations.
5. Is preparing to make war against Venezuela with false justification.
6. Threatened to invade Canada, Greenland, and the Panama Canal.
7. Significantly downsized the State Department and installed a puppet for Sec of State.
8. Makes laughable claims for stopping or preventing 7 wars, even though he gets the countries wrong and can't pronounce them.
I could go on.
I sincerely would appreciate counter points you could list that are something that lasts longer than a week.
So boring hearing predictable liberal speak.
Why not PE firms? They don't take federal money. The answer is, don't take federal money and have all the freedom you want (see Hillsdale). Take federal money, there are strings. There were strings before Trump too.
I'd say it's a bluff, more than a mortal threat. The government can't attach those conditions to grant applications in such a heavy-handed way-- though in the past it's done worse things by, for example, sending out the Obama"Dear Colleague" letter asking for the elimination of due process for sexual harassment defendants. That example shows, though, how universities surrender when their freedom is threatened (IRB's too, which heavily censor research).
Much of the Compact is crazy-- for example, nobody knows how to get a department to represent a spectrum of viewpoints, and it's probably a bad idea anyway. What the Compact ought to have said in section 2 is very simple: "Don't veto job candidates because of their political views". I think the Administration would call it a victory if they got that. They can't expect to get 50% Republicans in a department, but it's feasible and OK to ask for more than 0%.
The Gleichschaltung, by the way, was the idea of replacing every private organization by a Nazi equivalent. They didn't apply it to the universities, though of course they fired leftwingers and Jews. It's interesting to note that one of the drivers of those firings was student activism. German universities in those days were conservative.
I see I should explain: the govt. can try to apply those conditions, but the courts will stop them. The sophisticated way, used previously, is to go through the NIH, NSF, etc. and say that grant applications with the right politics will be favored (the DEI style), which the courts would allow, unfortunately.
I assume most respondents are from academia like Larry? The description of colleges and universities as Meccas of free speech, and open debate is an indication of how distorted one becomes the longer they exist in the contaminated toxic environment. The indoctrination you fear has been going on for a long time and has every similarity to communist propaganda. Harvard the temple of higher learning just hired some drag queen to lecture young minds on the politics of drag. The level of accepted depravity is unending when the goal is anarchy. It’s only natural to accuse others of everything you’re guilty of when your Ivy Tower is being challenged.
American Universities have been a mess for many decades. Its both boring and nauseating to listen to the left respond to any kind of standard in this pegan mutual admiration society they call education.
you’re jumping to a lot of conclusions based on very little info. maybe the US univ system can be improved and of course it can, but it is still the best in the world. the tables have turned; conservatives used to counsel liberals that constructive change needs to be incremental. now it’s the “right” that wants to tear it all down.
It must be a mystery to you, given how awful you say the American university system is, that it is acclaimed the world over as being the best anywhere, which is why students from all over the world come here to experience it. By definition, MAGA people like you hate the actual America that exists, fantasizing about a better one that never did.
U are the reason people drop out of college. When professors adhere to your perverse views then america is great, but when they dont it's suddenly not so good. That's the litmus test when people find liberal universities great, then its likely because their views are being served. Im conservative, so im not a fan of your favorite 'schools'.