The Trump administration has not shied away from its anti-higher education policy with several funding cuts at the levels of education. DEI programs in schools have been rescinded and federal grants have been frozen (which affects FAFSA for many students applying to higher education). As a result, many believe that these initiatives have made going to university an even more difficult struggle, which is a step backward for our nation as a whole.
Harvard’s Role
Harvard University decided to take a stand against these grant freezes by filing a lawsuit against the administration. According to the BBC, the president of Harvard stated, “the $2bn funding freeze would hamper critical disease research.” As one of the leading universities in the nation, Harvard’s fear of the consequences of these initiatives is incredibly damaging to the image of the nation as a whole.
It receives billions in endowments, yet they are still protesting for these $2 billion because of the principle. The idea of a public government having such a hold on the top private universities is very worrying for smaller universities that may not have the same power or funds.
Motivations
The Trump administration attempts to hold these funds back in hopes of having some control over the private decisions that Harvard makes, such as their diversity initiatives and internal policies. However, the entire system seems too close to blackmail for the Harvard administration since most of their annual profit is spent towards research, which is now being threatened.
Another motivation for the grant freezes is a push towards anti-semitism policy, which the Trump administration believes is synonymous with the pro-Palestinian protests that happened last year. Similar activities occurred at Columbia, where they conceded to demands after many federal funds were threatened as well.
A Look to the Future
The move as a whole seems to be part of an anti-educational policy that the Trump administration is championing. With the dissolution of the Department of Education, it is uncertain how the future of learning will be affected. Though many people believe in “wait it out,” the amount of changes that would need to be reversed is immense and might be overshadowed by other pressing matters.
However, there is hope with the Big Ten Academic Alliance forming the Mutual Academic Defense Compact in an attempt to fight Trump’s initiatives. There is power in numbers, and large coalitions may persuade the administration to reconsider freezing funds. Ohio State has recently joined, and Penn State may be in talks to join as well.
All in all, the future may be uncertain, but universities are certainly not following the demands of the government without a fight. What are your thoughts on Trump’s federal grant freezes? Let @VALLEYmag know on Instagram!
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