The article discusses the current threats to academic independence in higher education due to pressures from the Trump administration and conservative elements. Harvard University received extreme demands from the Department of Education that could jeopardize its financial relationship with the federal government, leading to a need for compliance on various fronts, including diversity initiatives. Despite President Alan Garber's strong public response to these threats, the institution has quietly adhered to pressures, exemplified by the dismissal of respected scholars due to perceived imbalances in academic discourse around sensitive topics like Palestine.
Harvard's recent steps to counter government pressure, while initially applauded, conceal ongoing compliance with the Trump administration's agenda regarding free expression and scholarship.
The Trump administration's extreme demands to Harvard, including the elimination of DEI programs, signal a broader threat to academic independence across US universities.
Collection
[
|
...
]