200 college leaders decry Trump's "undue government intrusion" in education
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Students study at Lamont Library at Harvard University on April 17 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo: Sophie Park/Getty Images
About 200 university presidents and chancellors signed onto a Tuesday letter denouncing the Trump administration's "coercive use of public research funding."
Why it matters: Dissent to President Trump's higher education threats is slowly growing.
What they're saying: "We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education," the university leaders said in their letter.
- "We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses."
- The leaders also criticized the administration's use of deportation as retaliation against students or faculty with diverse viewpoints.
The other side: "The Trump administration is standing up for equality and fairness and will not be swayed by worthless letters by overpaid blowhards," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said.
State of play: The Trump administration has used federal funding as a lever to assert control over colleges and universities.
- Notably, Columbia University conceded to some of the demands, while Harvard pushed back, prompting the administration to freeze $2.2 billion in funds.
- Harvard sued the Trump administration on Monday, arguing that the government's federal funding threats violated the university's constitutional rights.
Threat level: "The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society," university leaders said in the letter.
- "On behalf of our current and future students, and all who work at and benefit from our institutions, we call for constructive engagement that improves our institutions and serves our republic."
Zoom in: Other leaders in higher education signed the letter, such as the CEO of the Council on Undergraduate Research, the executive director of the Modern Language Association, and the secretary and CEO of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.
- Presidents from all the Ivy Leagues, except Dartmouth, signed the letter.
- Dartmouth president Sian Beilock "does not believe that signing open form letters like this one is an effective way to defend Dartmouth's mission and values," Dartmouth spokesperson Kathryn Kennedy said. "She would prefer to focus on the work we are doing and the actions we are taking."
Go deeper:
- Universities have few good options under Trump's pressure campaign
- Trump's funding ax throws colleges into an existential crisis
- How Trump wants to assert control at Harvard and elite colleges
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Dartmouth.
