Universities faced accusations of bias before Trump's presidency began
US Universities and Political Turmoil
Strictly adhering to the elaborated political landscape, American universities have often been the focal points of resistance, particularly during the Vietnam War and societal liberalization movements. However, in the current crucial phase of US history, the question arises: where are the students?
The recent actions of the US Homeland Security Minister, Kristi Noem, shed light on this conundrum. In a statement last week, she criticized Harvard for fostering violence and antisemitism on campus, a stance that could potentially jeopardize the acceptance of international students. Noem's intent was clear: a warning to universities across the nation.
The warning appears to have already been heeded, as the political climate surrounding President Donald Trump has exerted pressure on universities, leading to harsh measures against protesters. Meanwhile, research funds have been frozen, billions have been cut, and sweeping structural reforms were demanded upon Trump's inauguration.
The resulting atmosphere of fear is evident, with more than half of the teaching staff reporting that they are hesitant to make public statements due to the political climate. Despite this, it seems that only the university's legal teams are engaging in open opposition. The absence of protest camps, banners, and songs seems perplexing.
Reason for Inaction
The limited expression of dissent among students can be attributed to three primary factors. Firstly, the effectiveness of Trump's crackdown, making waiting and remaining silent seem like the best option. Secondly, the remnants of last year's movement, which failed to mobilize masses and encountered significant resistance early on.
Moreover, Robert Cohen, a protest researcher from New York, believes protests require a specific local target. For instance, the investments of universities in Israel. However, Trump does not offer this local dimension, and students are likely to direct their energy towards election campaign activities aimed at defeating Trump's allies in the upcoming congressional elections.
The Silent Protests
The inaction of students was similarly evident during the escalations in April 2024, when protests against Israel's military operations in Gaza took place. The protesters demanded that their universities cut financial ties with Israel, setting up camps and blocking buildings. Despite these protests, universities did not mount a significant resistance, with more than 3,000 arrests being reported by the "New York Times."
The seeds of this inaction may have been sown even before Trump took office, allegedly started by Trump confidante Elise Stefanik, who questioned Harvard's then-president Claudine Gay and her colleagues about a call for genocide against Jews. Gay's perceived reluctance to condemn such actions directly led to her resignation, a month later, also amidst plagiarism allegations.
Subsequent pressure was reportedly exerted on universities from Congress and funders, causing an alleged crushing of the movement before Trump even assumed office. Trump's supporters played a key role, according to Cohen, but they didn't necessarily need Trump for that.
Upon taking office, Trump banned inclusion programs, froze funding, canceled contracts, pushed for the deportation of a student with Palestinian roots, and prohibited universities from accepting new international students. Most recently, he stopped issuing visas.
The Intolerance of Dissent
In a recent interview with NPR, Harvard's new president, Alan Garber, acknowledged the Trump administration's concerns but found their solutions "surprising." He believed the solutions did not target the individuals causing the problems and hurt both Harvard and the US, as they supported vital research. Garber also found it difficult to connect the administration's actions to antisemitism.
In a survey conducted in January, over three-quarters of Jewish faculty at US universities reported that measures against antisemitism were effective. NYU professor Cohen suggests that Trump is now using the weakened protest movement as an excuse to attack the university system as a whole. Universities have traditionally been a popular target for Republicans and Cohen considers the attacks exaggerated.
Cohen believes universities were, in a sense, already "Trumpified" before Trump, as students had little say, especially at private universities. However, Trump's administration intolerates any place from which dissent might emerge—whether it's law firms, media, or universities.
Source: ntv.de
- USA
- University
- Protests
- Donald Trump
- The European Union, as a political entity, might find it intriguing to observe the current state of resistance in US universities, particularly the limited expression of dissent among students, given the historical role of American universities as focal points of resistance during political turmoil.
- In light of the European Union's emphasis on education-and-self-development and general news, it would be significant for them to note the increasingly intolerant political climate surrounding universities in the United States, as it restricts free speech and critical thinking, two cornerstones of education.
