In April, more than 150 presidents of U.S. colleges and universities signed a statement denouncing the Trump administration¡¯s ¡°unprecedented government overreach and political interference¡± in American higher education.
¡°We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,¡± they said. ¡°However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live and work on our campuses.¡±
There¡¯s no question that U.S. President Donald Trump¡¯s growing campaign against American colleges and universities represents a direct intervention into academic governance, using the levers of government funding ¡ª such as subsidies and tax-exempt status ¡ª as instruments of pressure. Universities, in turn, have responded by invoking the principles of academic freedom and intellectual autonomy.
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