Since taking the Oval Office on January 20, President Trump has made an impact on the nation in ways we have not seen before. One of these moves was a series of attacks on Harvard for their actions towards protecting Jewish students and other DEI programs the University has implemented. This back and forth between the President and Harvard culminated in President Trump freezing federal funding for Harvard. Harvard responded with a lawsuit against the federal government.
To coincide with the lawsuit, many colleges and universities across the country are voicing their concerns over government overreach. In a living document written by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the group called for a dialogue rather than being forced to comply.
The statement said “As leaders of America’s colleges, universities, and scholarly societies, we speak with one voice against 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. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.”
The AAC&U statement continued to explain that the institutions have the right to choose what they teach and that they should not be told what they specifically have to teach. It continued to say “American institutions of higher learning have in common the essential freedom to determine, on academic grounds, whom to admit and what is taught, how, and by whom.”
With the administration’s hard line on DEI and eliminating programs from colleges, the AAC&U has responded saying that these programs along with the institutions are essential for the community and essential for the country. “Because of these freedoms, American institutions of higher learning are essential to American prosperity and serve as productive partners with the government in promoting the common good. Colleges and universities are engines of opportunity and mobility, anchor institutions that contribute to economic and cultural vitality regionally and in our local communities” they said.
The document concluded with a bold statement from the Association, that the changes that are trying to be forced upon campuses across the country will be paid for by the student outcomes. They concluded by “The price of abridging the defining freedoms of American higher education will be paid by our students and our society.”
The hope with the statement is to begin a dialogue in regards to how to move forward and make a just reform rather than overreach and self insertion on the federal government’s end.
The document itself has been signed off by 618 presidents of colleges and universities across the country. Among the 618 presidents, Saint Anselm President Dr Joseph Favazza is among the names listed.
Saint Anselm’s inclusion in this document is now the latest addition to the College’s wider stance on the Trump Administration. With Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt being an alumnus of the College there has been great debate on whether or not the College should be promoting her in their alumni network. Many believe that she should be championed as she holds the highest rank of office anyone from Saint Anselm has had. There are also people skeptical due to her political beliefs because of her association with a controversial Administration.
The Hilltop has also been seen threats from the federal government to remove DEI language or be subjugated to lose funding. The college has not outwardly said anything in regards to the matter but according to sources are making “necessary adjustments”.
With Saint Anselm having a rather torn stance on the Trump Administration’s overreach on secondary education, they made a much more of a firm stance with signing alongside 617 other colleges in saying that they will not tolerate outright overreach, but rather a dialogue as to what can be adjusted.