50-Plus Groups Protest Trump’s Attack on Higher Ed

Dozens of higher education associations publicly called on President Donald Trump to restore the “historic compact” between American universities and the federal government—the latest sign of growing public opposition to the GOP’s attack on higher ed.

The terse one-page message, which was sent Wednesday afternoon, argues that the partnership has benefited all Americans and “has made American higher education the envy of the world and an engine of national progress and prosperity.”

“On behalf of tens of millions of students, educators, researchers, and administrators nationwide, we oppose recent government actions that jeopardize this partnership,” the letter says. “We urge the administration to work with us to reforge this compact and advance our shared national interests.”

Signatories include groups representing religious institutions, various disciplines, governing boards and financial aid administrators. All but two of the institutional accreditors signed on as well.

The letter urges the president to unfreeze billions of dollars in research funding that have been “held hostage for political reasons.” Additionally, the signatories don’t want funding to be “conditioned on which students universities admit, what kinds of academic programs they offer, and how they organize and oversee their faculty,” pushing back on the administration’s recent demands to Columbia and Harvard Universities. Further, colleges should not be punished for “building communities” that reflect the diversity of this country, and students and staff should be able to exercise their First Amendment rights without fearing deportation. 

“The entire country benefits when policymakers and higher education leaders respect a common understanding of the vital role colleges and universities play in advancing the social, cultural, and economic well-being of the United States,” the letter says. “There is a better way.”