President Trump’s unprovoked attack on higher education was a call to action which has been answered by Harvard and leaders from over 100 other schools. It has also taught an important lesson: giving in to Trump’s attacks is not a sustainable strategy for any organization.
Several leaders of the nation’s top law firms appeared to capitulate to Trump’s demands only to find that he is reportedly reneging from formal commitments and demanding more. Even schools such as Columbia, who attempted to concede to Trump’s demands found those agreements failed. History has long taught us that such appeasement doesn’t work when concession is seen as weakness—or even as surrender.
The recent assaults by the Trump administration on American colleges and universities were exemplified by the demands issued to Harvard University in an April 11 letter. Harvard rejecting Trump’s demands was followed by the freezing of $2.2 billion of federal research funds along with Trump’s taunting threats to Harvard’s tax-exempt status.
The grab to seize control of a private enterprise has catalyzed support for the independence of higher education, perhaps our nation’s most globally competitive sector. The outcry extends far beyond the ivy walls of academia. Even critics of higher education and Trump allies believe Trump is dramatically overplaying his hand. The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, hardly a friend of Harvard’s, blasted Trump’s overreach in an editorial titled “Trump Tries to Run Harvard.” “There are good reasons to oppose this unprecedented attempt by government to micromanage a private university,” the Journal opinion editors wrote. “Many of his demands on the school exceed his power under the Constitution.” Meanwhile, another regular critic of Harvard, FIRE, which assesses freedom of expression on campus, condemned Trump’s “unconstitutional demands” and told Harvard to stand strong.
Trump’s attacks against Harvard, and Harvard’s defiance, may even be shifting public opinion. According to a survey of 114,000 adults by Morning Consult, favorability of the school has risen since Trump took office in January. And in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s attacks, alumni pride—and donations—have swelled.
Arbitrary assaults on higher education—and bypassing legally required due process—undermine not only intellectual creativity on campus, but also the special contributions of universities to American society. Higher education is one of the greatest sources of U.S. global competitiveness, cultural enrichment, and learning, and economic prosperity.
For instance, the trade surplus from higher education accounts for nearly 14% of total U.S. services trade surplus—comparable to the combined exports of soybeans, coal, and natural gas. A global magnet, international student tuitions contribute roughly $44 billion to the U.S. economy. When the Trump administration attacks higher education, it is also threatening a prime source of the opportunity and economic prosperity of all Americans—one which has improved socio-economic mobility and access to opportunity, and trained millions of highly skilled workers
But even beyond the economic contributions, by partnering with the federal government for decades, American universities have also made lifesaving discoveries and have helped increase the average lifespan of Americans to record levels over the last few decades.
As one of the leading education institutions in the world, it is no secret that Harvard has received a range of criticism in recent years. However Harvard has redeemed itself this week.
The decision of Harvard President Alan Garber to take a stand by rejecting the Trump administration’s demands, and the strong leadership of Harvard’s board, led by Chair Penny Pritzker and buttressed by board members, including former Merck CEO Ken Frazier, Ken Chenault, Karen Gordon Mills, Biddy Martin, and others, is a watershed moment.
It is propitious that Harvard’s defiance against authoritarian creep should come on the 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s ride which alerted the American minutemen to rise up against tyranny. Indeed, his fellow sentry William Dawes actually rode across Harvard’s campus in 1775.
This current battle will not be an easy one for Harvard, but Harvard is not alone—as pillars of civil society muster the courage to stand in unison so that Harvard does not have to fight for freedom of expression, intellectual inquiry, educational advancement, and research contributions alone. Indeed, this is a moment when all those who care about the contributions that U.S. universities in partnership with the federal government have made to a competitive and flourishing American society to speak out.
This battle is one as vital as higher education has ever faced. The legal community was late to realize this lesson but schools can be good teachers as well as fast learners.
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