On April 22, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) penned the public statement, “A Call for Constructive Engagement” in response to actions from the Trump administration regarding higher education. Stockton’s own President Joe Bertolino is one of 509 signatures on this statement, and the AACU will continue to garner signatures from leaders of colleges, universities, and scholarly societies.

The statement addresses concerns of “unprecedented government overreach” and “political interference” within higher education, though the document is careful to address that they do not entirely oppose governmental oversight when it is necessary for growth. To the signers, “constructive reform” is a valuable asset for strong universities.

“However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding,” the signers concur.

The statement discloses that not all American institutions are meant to serve the same purpose—some universities are designed to serve any and all students, whereas others are selective and dedicated to serving a particular demographic. “Our colleges and universities share a commitment to serve as centers of open inquiry where,” the statement reads, “in their pursuit of truth, faculty, students, and staff are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, or deportation.”

The signers also argue a correlation between American prosperity and higher education. “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 later add, “[most] fundamentally, America’s colleges and universities prepare an educated citizenry to sustain our democracy.”

This address, calling for a productive connection between the government and its institutions in the name of the American republic, has come as a result of the conflicts arising between the current administration and, most notably, Ivy League universities.

In March, Columbia University received a $400 million funding cut after their Pro-Palestinian demonstrations and protests were seen by Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, as “[abandoning] that obligation to Jewish students studying on [Columbia’s] campus.” The school’s Middle East studies department was then placed under new supervision, and Columbia’s interim President, Dr. Katrina Armstrong, wrote a letter on behalf of the university, complying and enacting the nine reforms of the school requested by the Trump administration in order to regain their funding.

Armstrong’s statements were criticized by Donna Lieberman, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, as she disclosed that “Columbia’s capitulation endangers academic freedom and campus expression nationwide.”

Similarly, Harvard University received a letter from the Trump administration regarding Pro-Palestinian protests. According to an article from the Associated Press, Harvard was requested to put a “ban on face masks, a demand that was also made at Columbia and targets pro-Palestinian protesters who have sometimes worn masks to hide their identities. Harvard also must clarify its campus speech policies that limit the time, place and manner of protests and other activities.”

Unlike Columbia, Harvard did not follow suit with the administration’s desires. Harvard President Alan Garber announced on April 21 that they would be suing the Trump administration over a federal freeze of more than $2.2 billion in grants. The lawsuit is argued on the basis of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and assembly, as Garber said in a statement to the Harvard community that this legal move “[stands] for the values that have made American higher education a beacon for the world.”

Back on February 27, President Bertolino issued a statement to the Stockton community regarding how Stockton was going to handle federal policy shifts. At the upcoming Board of Trustees meeting on May 7, it is wondered if there will be further discussion on how the upper administration will navigate these changes and resolutions.

Sources:

American Association of Colleges and Universities