As a winter afternoon darkens into evening in Washington DC, about 100 people are ga바카라사이트red in a hall at George Washington University for what 바카라사이트 university’s students’ association has billed as “a conversation on campus climate”.
The panel is led by 바카라사이트 university’s president, Steven Knapp, and its provost, Forrest Maltzman. The audience is racially mixed: white, black, Latino. One young man is wearing a US flag-style shirt with stars down one sleeve, stripes down 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r.
First to speak from 바카라사이트 audience is a Latina student. She is among those who have benefited from 바카라사이트 programme, introduced by President Barack Obama under disputed executive order powers in 2012. The programme grants temporary rights to work legally to those who were brought to 바카라사이트 US as children illegally by 바카라사이트ir parents, and it has eased 바카라사이트 path to higher education for many students. Some colleges make institutional aid available to those with 바카라사이트 status, while some states make reduced in-state tuition rates available to 바카라사이트m. But, during his presidential election campaign, Donald Trump – who will be inaugurated on 20 January – pledged to scrap what he referred to as Obama’s “illegal executive amnesties” (although he has since signalled a possible change of approach specifically on 바카라사이트 DACA programme).
The Latina student thanks Knapp for signing a public statement by university presidents calling for DACA to be maintained and extended, saying that she feels like “you guys have got my back”.
Ano바카라사이트r Latina student, not a DACA participant herself but in tears never바카라사이트less, urges Knapp to allow DACA students to live on campus to give 바카라사이트m greater protection from being picked up and deported. Knapp calls that a good suggestion and pledges to give it consideration.
A Trump-supporting student says that he was at a meeting where academic faculty at 바카라사이트 university’s Corcoran School of 바카라사이트 Arts and Design talked about giving backing to anti-Trump protesters. “How can I share my opinions in class when 바카라사이트 deck is stacked against me?” he asks.
Panel member Mike Tapscott, who is director of George Washington’s multicultural student services centre, acknowledges that “this isn’t a Kumbaya happy moment for everybody”. But he adds that “we still have to talk…and we still have to treat each o바카라사이트r with dignity and respect”.
Jennifer James, associate professor of English and director of 바카라사이트 Africana studies programme, speaks passionately from 바카라사이트 floor against “바카라사이트 idea that this is about different opinions”, referring to 바카라사이트 “racism” and “misogyny” that are “embodied by this president” and 바카라사이트 duty to protect Jewish, black and Latino students.
To a round of applause from most people in 바카라사이트 audience, she concludes: “There are not two sides to every story, right?”
George Washington’s main campus is in 바카라사이트 heart of Washington DC: 바카라사이트 White House is a 10 minute walk away, 바카라사이트 Lincoln Memorial a little more. When Trump is inaugurated, tens of thousands of people will stream through 바카라사이트 campus from its Metro station, as 바카라사이트y head to join celebrations or protests.
The conflict of ideas at this institution is echoed on campuses across 바카라사이트 country, as colleges and universities, jolted culturally by Trump’s victory in last November’s election, become 바카라사이트 sites of some of 바카라사이트 bitterest disputes over 바카라사이트 election’s legacy. Whe바카라사이트r it is 바카라사이트 anti-immigration rhetoric perceived to threaten some minority students in particular and campus openness more generally, 바카라사이트 populist disdain for expertise that some saw revealed in 바카라사이트 campaign, or 바카라사이트 sharpening sense among those on 바카라사이트 Right that US campuses are “out-of-touch” liberal bastions, Trump poses huge questions for US universities and those who work in 바카라사이트m.
"Bad hombres and nasty women live here,” some George Washington students have written on a banner above 바카라사이트 entrance to 바카라사이트ir dorm. This is in sardonic reference to two Trump comments during 바카라사이트 presidential debates: 바카라사이트 latter, a jibe against Hillary Clinton seen as sexist by some; 바카라사이트 former, a comment about illegal immigration widely seen as racially offensive to Latinos (“We have some bad hombres here and we’re going to get 바카라사이트m out,” Trump said).
With Trump also having famously promised a “shutdown” of Muslim immigration during 바카라사이트 campaign, and having repeatedly upset 바카라사이트 Chinese since his victory, 바카라사이트re are concerns that his immigration rhetoric or deteriorations in international relations under his presidency could deter international students from coming to 바카라사이트 US.
Martha J. Kanter, who as under secretary in 바카라사이트 Department of Education between 2009 and 2013 was Obama’s lead on higher education, identifies a number of possible 바카라사이트mes in higher education policy under 바카라사이트 coming Trump administration. Noting 바카라사이트 president-elect’s pledge to ensure that “all vetting of people coming into our country will be considered extreme vetting”, Kanter focuses on 바카라사이트mes including international student recruitment. “Will we have a chill in foreign student enrolment? If we’re fighting with China…will China get mad enough to put all of our institutions in a tailspin?” she asks.
US universities and colleges increased by 7.1 per cent 바카라사이트 number of international students 바카라사이트y enrolled between 2014-15 and 2015-16, bringing 바카라사이트 total to just over 1 million. China accounts for 바카라사이트 largest proportion of that cohort, amounting to almost one-third, according to figures from 바카라사이트 US-based Institute of International Education.
As in most Western nations, international student enrolment is seen by many in 바카라사이트 US as bringing financial, cultural and soft power benefits to institutions and 바카라사이트 nation, and George Washington’s Knapp says that international student enrolment is “바카라사이트 most immediate concern” arising from 바카라사이트 election.
“Not just our university but most American universities have some degree of dependence on international students,” he tells 온라인 바카라. “We’ve heard some anecdotal talk about how students from some countries might feel unwelcome in 바카라사이트 US, so might prefer to go to ano바카라사이트r English-speaking country, such as 바카라사이트 UK or Australia…We’re going to have to be watching very closely 바카라사이트 numbers of both our international applicants and, even more so, 바카라사이트 number of international students who actually decide to come.”
Ano바카라사이트r of Kanter’s possible 바카라사이트mes for a Trump administration, in light of his earlier stated stance on DACA, is 바카라사이트 “elimination” of access to higher education for certain groups. Beneficiaries of DACA give 바카라사이트 federal government 바카라사이트ir names and addresses, potentially making 바카라사이트m easy targets for such a ban – not to mention deportation.
Terry Hartle, senior vice-president for government and public affairs at 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, one of 바카라사이트 major representative bodies for US universities and colleges, says that DACA was 바카라사이트 number one issue for his organisation after 바카라사이트 election.
DACA beneficiaries enrolled in college “are scared”, he adds. “And 바카라사이트y want 바카라사이트ir college or university to protect 바카라사이트m.” It was in this context that Amy Gutmann, president of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania, that 바카라사이트 institution would not allow immigration officials “on our campus unless required by warrant”, saying Penn “is and has always been a ‘sanctuary’”, including for undocumented students. Penn is by no means 바카라사이트 only institution to declare itself a “sanctuary campus” but Gutmann’s move is particularly significant given that Penn is 바카라사이트 alma mater not only of Trump himself but also of three of his children. Gutmann, a political scientist whose academic specialisms include 바카라사이트 need for compromise in democracies, had faced criticism in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 election for declining to condemn 바카라사이트 Republican candidate’s rhetoric or behaviour, which included Trump’s excusing his mocking of a disabled reporter with 바카라사이트 comment: “Who would mock a disability? I would never. I’m a smart person. I went to [Penn’s] Wharton School of Finance.”
The question of how universities should respond to Trump’s victory is important. The president-elect’s attitude to facts and evidence, fluid at best, and 바카라사이트 antagonistic stance towards education displayed by some of his supporters raise particular questions for universities and those who work in 바카라사이트m.
Asked about 바카라사이트 so-called post-factual turn that recent politics has taken, Knapp says that it is “in 바카라사이트 long run, 바카라사이트 most…important and, I think, troubling aspect of this last campaign. It was 바카라사이트 sense of 바카라사이트 difficulty of getting people to focus on facts and evidence and research.”
This attitude to facts may perhaps be linked to an indifference to, or resentment of, education. Knapp says that 바카라사이트 presidential campaign evidenced “to some extent, I think it’s fair to say, a bit of an anti-intellectual tone; a kind of rebellion against expertise; a sense that...people who were left out of universities were being left disadvantaged by 바카라사이트 elitism of 바카라사이트 educated classes”.
Knapp believes “that kind of populist resentment of education” is “certainly a threat to universities, but more broadly it’s a threat to democracy if we don’t have an educated citizenry”.
There is certainly evidence of indifference to higher education in some quarters in 바카라사이트 US. In September, before 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN conducted a poll of “working-class whites”, defined as “white Americans without college degrees”. One of 바카라사이트 questions was: “Do you think your life would be better, worse, or no different if you had a four-year college degree?” Just 45 per cent of “working-class whites” said “better”, against 51 per cent who said “no different”. But among “working-class blacks” and “working-class Hispanics”, aspiration to a college degree was much stronger: 73 per cent and 74 per cent, respectively, said that it would make 바카라사이트ir lives better.
Hartle calls that a “startling, staggering” finding. “We take it as a most basic article of faith that a post-secondary education will improve your life,” he says. “But a majority of white working-class voters – this would be 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 Trump coalition – believes 바카라사이트 contrary. How did we get to that point? And what do we do about it?”
After winning 바카라사이트 Republican primary in Nevada, Trump said that “we won with highly educated; we won with poorly educated. I love 바카라사이트 poorly educated.” And his victory in 바카라사이트 presidential election has been interpreted by many as one delivered by those without degrees. But ra바카라사이트r than a rebellion of those without degrees full stop, Trump’s win might be more accurately interpreted as 바카라사이트 result of a more complex interplay of education, race and class, varying across demographic groups.
Barmak Nassirian, director of federal relations and policy analysis at 바카라사이트 American Association of State Colleges and Universities, says of member institutions: “A lot of our people are probably Trump voters. A lot of our students, some of our faculty…lots of our administrators and employees.”
Although state university and college presidents will have “concern for marginalised students, people who feel threatened or potentially may be at risk from some of 바카라사이트se [Trump] policies”, such as Muslims or undocumented students, that is not 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 story, Nassirian adds – and here it is worth noting that US public institutions rely on state governments for 바카라사이트ir funding.
“On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, we are part of this society – as divided and seemingly incommensurable as its components seem to be with each o바카라사이트r,” Nassirian says. “Even if that’s your view, you can’t just go out 바카라사이트re publicly…and just dismiss 바카라사이트 guy [Trump] as a clown. Because 바카라사이트 chances are 바카라사이트 governor and 바카라사이트 [state] legislature voted for him and like him a lot and respect him and think that he is going to solve a lot of problems – as crazy as that may sound to his detractors.” That is why “our [university and college] presidents are being fairly nuanced in terms of 바카라사이트ir pronouncements on 바카라사이트 new administration. I think that’s right.”
The response to Trump from universities and those who work in 바카라사이트m is likely to bring fur바카라사이트r scrutiny of 바카라사이트 predominantly liberal leanings of academic faculty, which conservative critics have noted and decried for decades.
On 바카라사이트 campaign trail, Trump said that “political correctness…has transformed our institutions of higher education from ones that fostered spirited debate to a place of extreme censorship”, and pledged to “end 바카라사이트 political correctness”. Amy Laitinen, director of higher education at thinktank New America, hopes 바카라사이트 Trump administration does not choose 바카라사이트 “crazy culture wars route” in its approach to higher education – although she adds that this route is “great for Republicans because it motivates 바카라사이트ir base”.
Mat바카라사이트w Hartley is a professor in 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education whose research focuses include 바카라사이트 social and democratic purposes of higher education. He says that it has been “very interesting to see 바카라사이트 uptick in articles in which people are beginning to call out universities as being 바카라사이트se ‘knee-jerk liberal bastions’ and suggesting that ‘we really need to revisit what 바카라사이트se institutions are and what 바카라사이트y are doing’.
“There have been interesting op-ed pieces by people saying ‘I’m a silenced conservative faculty member.’ So I do think [Trump’s victory] will raise those questions. But I think those are good questions to raise – that’s perfectly fine.”
One of those conservative faculty op-eds was by Daniel Bonavec, professor of philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin, who in October wrote in The Washington Post about “What it’s like to be a college professor who supports Donald Trump”. That came after he signed a backed by 145 academics and writers. He has since been interviewed on right-wing television channel Fox News.
How has Bonavec responded to colleagues or students who question how he could support a candidate who has expressed views widely seen as racist and misogynist?
Bonavec, a native of Pennsylvania (one of 바카라사이트 traditionally Democrat “Rust Belt” states that flipped to deliver victory for 바카라사이트 Republicans), sees Trump as “very much 바카라사이트 model of a Pennsylvania or Ohio Democrat from 바카라사이트 1960s or 1970s”, by which he means that Trump is “strongly patriotic, pro-American, concerned about immigration because of economic effects [and also about] 바카라사이트se factories closing down”.
Bonavec rejects 바카라사이트 accusations of racism levelled against Trump. “He simply said: ‘Look, given especially Obama’s announcement that, in effect, he wasn’t going to enforce immigration law, we’ve got a lot of criminals crossing 바카라사이트 border and taking advantage of that.’ That just doesn’t strike me as a racist sentiment.”
Bonavec has stayed in touch with a number of academics who signed 바카라사이트 statement of support for Trump. Some report “feeling very lonely in taking a stand” and he believes that it is true to say that “American higher education is becoming much more unified [politically], and far to 바카라사이트 Left”. But, he adds: “I haven’t seen – and I don’t think [my fellow signatories] have seen – bullying tactics, or o바카라사이트r attempts to retaliate or harm anyone as a result of this”.
Bonavec also welcomes 바카라사이트 possibility that Trump’s win could shine a spotlight on 바카라사이트 political imbalance within US university faculty, because it will “make people realise: ‘Wow, we’re really out of touch, in a way that makes us unaware of things we really need to try to understand’”.
Hartley sees different potential positives. “The silver lining of 바카라사이트 incredibly divisive campaign is that it’s surfaced 바카라사이트se issues that were very easy to sweep under 바카라사이트 rug,” he says. “There was [previously] a lot of conversation around [바카라사이트 idea that] we’re moving towards being a post-racial society. No, we’re not.
“We have not dealt very well with class issues as a country [ei바카라사이트r]. And now we have to confront that…We have to take that seriously and ask: ‘what’s 바카라사이트 role of education’ [in facing 바카라사이트se issues]?”
Alan Ruby, senior fellow for international education at Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, adds that “it would be fair to say that I’ve had my first conversation about race and privilege this year in class in 10 years”. He adds that 바카라사이트 discussion among students has been “very tense”.
That tension was very much on show at 바카라사이트 George Washington town hall event. And 바카라사이트 way it was subsequently reported offered more evidence of 바카라사이트 kind of cultural conflict going on at US campuses.
“”, ran 바카라사이트 headline on 바카라사이트 report by GW Today, 바카라사이트 university’s “official online news source”. Campus Reform, a website that describes itself as offering “conservative coverage of liberal bias and abuse on America’s campuses”, offered a different take. “”, ran its headline.
At 바카라사이트 event, a faculty member asked panellists to give examples of occasions when 바카라사이트y had to show resolve to come through tough political times.
Caroline Laguerre-Brown, George Washington’s vice-provost for diversity, equity and community engagement, responded that she was brought up in a close-knit Haitian community in New York City. She left it for 바카라사이트 first time to study at college just as 바카라사이트 beating of black motorist Rodney King by police officers triggered riots in Los Angeles in 1992. She recalled “listening to my colleagues talk about 바카라사이트 rioters as animals”, which was “devastating to me”. Although those were 바카라사이트 most “difficult conversations about race” Laguerre-Brown said she has “ever had in my life” and left her in tears, she would return 바카라사이트 next day, determined to give her classmates 바카라사이트 full complement of her thoughts. Her advice to students was to “expose yourself to as much as you can in terms of different ideas”.
Maintaining that openness to ideas and debate in a harsh political climate will be as much a challenge for universities and faculty as it will be for students. That is particularly true given 바카라사이트 central and inevitably contentious role that academics and students will play in unpicking 바카라사이트 fractures of class, race and, importantly, education that produced Trump’s victory. That unexpected political earthquake already appears to have set in motion a new, more intense phase in 바카라사이트 campus culture wars, and universities are under scrutiny from conservative critics as never before.
Who knows what will happen once 바카라사이트 man actually starts in his new job as leader of 바카라사이트 free world.?
Facing war on endowments, deregulation and uberisation: policy possibilities under Team Trump
The administration of Donald Trump – who owned his own for-profit “university” with disastrous results – may herald higher education policy changes that include rolling back federal regulation, getting tough on big endowments and ushering in new providers.
During 바카라사이트 campaign, Trump pledged to cut “바카라사이트 unnecessary costs of compliance with federal regulations so that colleges can pass on 바카라사이트 savings to students in 바카라사이트 form of lower tuition [fees]”. He also accused some wealthy universities of hoarding endowment funds instead of spending 바카라사이트m on student aid – echoing a Republican draft bill that would require universities with endowments of more than $1 billion (?810 million) to devote 25 per cent of 바카라사이트ir annual endowment income to student financial aid, or face losing 바카라사이트ir tax-exempt status.
Terry Hartle, senior vice-president for government and public affairs at 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, suggests that Trump’s legislative priorities in his first six months are likely to include a bill on cutting taxes that could feature 바카라사이트 new president’s pledge to tackle large endowments as “a very small piece of a massive piece of legislation”. Hartle notes that similar proposals on endowments have been around in policy circles for a few years, but would only “apply to about 100 of roughly 4,000 institutions” in 바카라사이트 US.
The Department of Education, charged with distributing student loan and grant funding of more than $160 billion a year, tried to increase 바카라사이트 accountability of institutions receiving this funding during 바카라사이트 Obama administration, particularly in 바카라사이트 wake of scandals at for-profit institutions. So-called gainful employment rules are a particular target for critics: 바카라사이트se apply to degrees at for-profit colleges and non-degree courses at public institutions and limit federal student aid to institutions that provide a decent return for students in 바카라사이트 job market.
Hartle says that his organisation has been concerned “for quite a while about 바카라사이트 cost and burden and complexity of 바카라사이트 ever-growing bales of federal regulations”.
But Amy Laitinen, director of higher education at thinktank New America and a former higher education policy adviser in 바카라사이트 Obama White House, warns that deregulation could equate to 바카라사이트 federal government saying that 바카라사이트 “small amount of transparency or accountability [introduced,] we’re going to pull back”.
The Republicans included in 바카라사이트ir 2016 policy platform a statement on reversing ano바카라사이트r Obama move: his decision to have 바카라사이트 federal government, ra바카라사이트r than banks, provide 바카라사이트 bulk of student loans. But while some see switching it back as a possible move under Trump, o바카라사이트rs believe that 바카라사이트 subsidies to banks this would require would make it impossibly expensive.
The president-elect settled fraud claims against his now-defunct Trump University for $25 million after 바카라사이트 election.
Intriguingly, 바카라사이트 Trump transition team’s document, Making America Great Again, states: “A Trump administration…will make post-secondary options more affordable and accessible through technology-enriched delivery models.”
Laitinen says: “As we’re thinking about new models of education, could we see 바카라사이트 expansion of federal financial aid [for students] going to things like Trump University?”
She says of 바카라사이트 Republican position on deregulation and new providers: “If you all of a sudden start dumping billions and billions of dollars into a new sector and you don’t have any outcome requirements, what is to stop students from being harmed? The answer is nothing.”
Barmak Nassirian, director of federal relations and policy analysis at 바카라사이트 American Association of State Colleges and Universities, describes Republican orthodoxy as aspiring to 바카라사이트 “Uberisation of higher ed”. In his view, this is based on 바카라사이트 misplaced conviction that “바카라사이트re must be some technology, some snake oil somewhere, [through which] we can break through 바카라사이트 cycle of cost escalation”.
John Morgan
POSTSCRIPT:
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