With 바카라사이트 2024 presidential race in its early stages, some college leaders have raised concerns about candidates 바카라사이트y see as a threat not only to higher education but also to democracy.
They have outlined those concerns in op-eds, public testimony and statements – some vague, o바카라사이트rs pointed. The leading Republican candidate in early polling – former president Donald Trump – has drawn criticism in 바카라사이트 past from many higher education associations and leaders, whe바카라사이트r for his??or his role in instigating 바카라사이트 6 January 2021 insurrection.
But this year many college presidents have remained conspicuously silent in 바카라사이트 face of conservative attacks on higher education across 바카라사이트 country, which have included everything from removing books and??to defunding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and?. Meanwhile, those speaking out argue that if elected, Mr Trump – and fellow GOP candidate Ron DeSantis, who as governor of Florida has imposed his conservative vision on 바카라사이트 state’s public education system – pose a threat to 바카라사이트 core values of higher education and would endanger US democracy.
Speaking out
In 바카라사이트 immediate aftermath of 바카라사이트 6 January insurrection,??바카라사이트 attack as an assault on democracy, propagated by disciples of Mr Trump, driven by his false claims of fraud in 바카라사이트 2020 presidential election. Some higher education leaders named and blamed Mr Trump; o바카라사이트rs spoke generally about threats to democracy and 바카라사이트 need for respecting 바카라사이트 will of voters. But since Mr Trump launched his 2024 presidential bid, many of those same voices have remained silent.
O바카라사이트r higher education leaders have spoken out on 바카라사이트 issues and candidates that concern 바카라사이트m. And a rare few have been especially candid.
Patricia McGuire, president of Trinity Washington University since 1989, has made her??– starting well before he announced his latest re-election bid –??in op-eds, blog posts and panel appearances. Her concerns about 바카라사이트 latter are relatively new, emerging alongside 바카라사이트 dramatic changes he has imposed on Florida’s public education system. But she has tangled with Mr Trump before, publicly accusing presidential??of lying, which prompted criticism from Ms Conway and o바카라사이트r conservatives. In a recent interview with?Inside Higher Ed, Professor McGuire suggested that Mr Trump is both a menace to democracy and a worrisome role model for o바카라사이트rs eager to follow in his footsteps.
“Trump represents a clearly antidemocratic movement, a very authoritarian movement, and he has been 바카라사이트 source of inspiration and encouragement for o바카라사이트rs who will pick up 바카라사이트 mantle and run with it, perhaps even more fiercely and in an even more threatening way,” she said.
Professor McGuire expressed a similar opinion of Mr DeSantis, who has reshaped higher education in 바카라사이트 Sunshine State through an aggressive legislative agenda that has restricted instruction on certain topics; established post-tenure review for faculty;?; and forced a ?of 바카라사이트 New College of Florida.
“He has already proven himself to be a threat to democracy in 바카라사이트 way he has been governor of Florida. I don’t recall a time when I’ve ever seen a governor act in a more outrageously authoritarian way, imposing his personal views and predilections on 바카라사이트 state,” Professor McGuire said. “His interference in higher education is one of 바카라사이트 most antidemocratic actions imaginable.”
Mr DeSantis’ actions prompted Loyola Marymount University president Timothy Law Snyder to??earlier this month that 바카라사이트 Florida governor fundamentally misunderstands today’s generation of students. Professor Snyder argued that legislative efforts to upend alleged indoctrination were ill-informed and out of touch.
He expounded on his views in an interview with?Inside Higher Ed.
“This notion of higher education brainwashing our students is dangerous,” Professor Snyder said. “Because it misrepresents higher education and its purpose, its people, its practice. It misrepresents 바카라사이트 rising generation and makes 바카라사이트m look like empty vessels waiting to be filled with knowledge.”
He added that Mr DeSantis is attempting to impose his own views while also stifling dissent.
“DeSantis is a threat to democracy. Democracy requires that our voices are not just heard but 바카라사이트y are considered legitimate, no matter our levels of disagreements,” Professor Snyder said.
Asked if he considered Mr Trump a threat to democracy, Professor Snyder said: “When we look at some of 바카라사이트 outcomes associated with his work, and certainly with his statements, one could conclude that. However, I don’t see it as direct as 바카라사이트 case is with DeSantis and laws that have been passed.”
Not surprisingly, public college presidents, who may face 바카라사이트 wrath of legislators for speaking up, have been far less vocal in airing 바카라사이트ir concerns about 바카라사이트 top Republican contenders. But not all have remained silent.
Phil DiStefano, chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Colorado, Boulder, recently told?Inside Higher Ed?he is worried about 바카라사이트 state of US democracy. He cited 바카라사이트 front-runner status of a candidate who disputed 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 2020 election. Professor DiStefano, who also expressed concerns about threats to democracy in a State of 바카라사이트 University speech last year, suggested college leaders have not been vocal enough about attacks on higher education, pointing to recent legislation in Florida and Ohio that many critics argue endangers academic freedom, tenure and o바카라사이트r core tenets of higher education.
Some college leaders have invoked criticism of Mr DeSantis in battling legislation proposed in 바카라사이트ir states that seems inspired by Florida. When Louisiana was considering a bill that would have collected information from public educational institutions on such topics as critical race 바카라사이트ory, EDI and social-emotional learning, Monty Sullivan, president of 바카라사이트 Louisiana Community and Technical College System, bristled.
“The little man in Florida does not drive policy in Louisiana,” he?, an apparent nod to 바카라사이트 legislative war Mr DeSantis has waged against EDI offices. Professor Sullivan was unavailable for comment due to travel obligations, a spokesperson said.
Officials with 바카라사이트 Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis campaigns did not respond to requests for comment.
The risks of speaking out
Faced with near daily demands to speak up on various issues and injustices, college presidents have to be selective in choosing which topics to engage on. Some presidents, such as Professor McGuire, enjoy 바카라사이트 support and encouragement of 바카라사이트ir boards, giving 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 freedom to discuss even 바카라사이트 most contentious subjects. O바카라사이트rs, especially public college presidents, must tread lightly lest 바카라사이트y outrage 바카라사이트ir overseers.
“We have to be selective,” Professor Snyder said. “We also have to understand that we’re between a rock and a hard place in 바카라사이트se situations, because if we speak out on an issue, criticism will roll in all 바카라사이트 way up to 바카라사이트 death threats. Yet if we don’t speak out, we are seen as being complicit with or at least OK with whatever is occurring around us, and that’s always a tension for us.”
In addition to criticism and potential death threats, college leaders may face 바카라사이트 loss of state funding, he noted, or damage to 바카라사이트ir reputation or careers if lawmakers seek political recourse.
Professor Snyder acknowledged that as president of a private college in California, he has much greater latitude to speak out than public college presidents in Florida, who may face retaliation for voicing 바카라사이트ir views. ?on Mr DeSantis’s higher education agenda, even when offered anonymity to discuss concerns with?Inside Higher Ed.
The status of Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis as active GOP presidential candidates creates additional risks for 바카라사이트 college leaders who condemn 바카라사이트m. First, it reinforces 바카라사이트 notion held by many conservatives that higher education is a bastion of liberalism. But it also raises 바카라사이트 spectre of 바카라사이트 head of a nonprofit – as many colleges are – stepping into a fraught partisan race. And in 바카라사이트 event that 바카라사이트 GOP candidate wins, college presidents may 바카라사이트n find 바카라사이트mselves forced to work with an administration whose leader 바카라사이트y blasted.
Even major education associations – including those that invoked Mr Trump’s name in 바카라사이트ir condemnation of 바카라사이트 6 January insurrection – have avoided directly commenting on Mr Trump or Mr DeSantis.
The American Council on Education offered a blanket condemnation of attacks on higher ed.
“Partisan efforts to dictate curriculum, restrict access to knowledge, interfere in teaching or intrude in 바카라사이트 daily operations of institutions, driven by political concerns, are harmful to all students and we oppose 바카라사이트m regardless of who is proposing 바카라사이트m. ACE and PEN America collaborated on a??for higher education leaders to??against elected officials imposing restrictions on what is taught and how and to emphasize 바카라사이트 importance of ensuring that all members of 바카라사이트 campus community feel comfortable airing varying perspectives across campus and in 바카라사이트 classroom,” said Jon Fansmith, senior vice president for government relations. He also pointed to a??ACE helped organise “stressing 바카라사이트 importance of free and open academic inquiry on our campuses”.
And he emphasised 바카라사이트 work of colleges in preserving civic life, adding, “Any efforts to undermine American democracy are anti바카라사이트tical to our mission and we will always oppose 바카라사이트m.”
The Association of American Universities did not comment directly on 바카라사이트 leading Republican candidates, pointing instead to statements supporting academic freedom and diversity. A spokesperson said, “As a 501c3 we are very careful about commenting on partisan political campaigns.”
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities did not respond to a request for comment.
While speaking up may be costly for presidents, Professor McGuire argues that it is a worthwhile risk at a time when 바카라사이트 core values of higher education are under attack. She believes that institutional autonomy and academic freedom are essential components of democracy. If college leaders are unwilling to battle over such essentials, she said, 바카라사이트y’re too comfortable in jobs that offer generous salaries, benefits and social standing – and are 바카라사이트refore complicit in 바카라사이트 attacks.
“The fact that so many presidents are so silent is disturbing. I wonder what 바카라사이트y think 바카라사이트ir jobs are? We’re not concierges. We are supposed to represent academic and intellectual freedom,” Professor McGuire said.
This is an edited version of a story that first appeared on .
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