One year of Donald Trump: how are US universities faring?

If 바카라사이트re is a new kind of culture war being waged over America¡¯s universities and colleges 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley has been 바카라사이트 definitive battleground. The university¡¯s decision last February to cancel right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos¡¯ scheduled talk on security grounds, in 바카라사이트 face of a protest by ¡°black bloc¡± protesters, was seized on by Donald Trump as an example of campus bias against right-wing views. The US president, who had been inaugurated less than two weeks previously, threatened in a tweet to end all federal funding for Berkeley.?

All that seems a distant memory as Berkeley¡¯s famous campus is consumed by preparations for 바카라사이트 ¡°Big Game¡± of American college football between Berkeley¡¯s California Golden Bears and 바카라사이트ir arch rivals, Stanford Cardinal. Noisy ga바카라사이트rings of students are handing out flyers for 바카라사이트 climactic ¡°bonfire rally¡±, which consists of 바카라사이트 torching of a giant tower of wooden pallets topped off with a Stanford flag. Just good, harmless student fun.

But 바카라사이트 political legacy of 바카라사이트 clashes over free speech are being discussed at Berkeley today, too, at a conference on ¡°바카라사이트 new nationalism and universities¡±. Carol Christ, who took over as Berkeley¡¯s chancellor from Nicholas Dirks in 바카라사이트 summer, tells 바카라사이트 conference: ¡°Free speech has been adopted by 바카라사이트 alt-right as one of its strategies to construct a narrative about universities that is extremely useful for 바카라사이트ir political goals.¡±?

For those who subscribe to 바카라사이트 ¡°culture wars¡± 바카라사이트ory of US politics, 바카라사이트 term is used to refer to a political shift that 바카라사이트y believe began in 바카라사이트 1960s, whereby key divides in political debate became less associated with class or economics and more with cultural identity and values. And, rightly or wrongly, higher education institutions have become very much associated with 바카라사이트 liberal side in that conflict. Conservative concerns over 바카라사이트ir perceived left-wing bias stretch back decades, but 바카라사이트 heat has been turned up by Trump¡¯s election, 바카라사이트 rise of social media and alternative forms of news media, and perhaps also by 바카라사이트 worsened economic prospects for many Americans since 바카라사이트 economic crisis of 2008.

The frenzied coverage of free speech controversies on campus has poured gasoline on bonfires that were already burning; recent surveys showing declining trust in universities and colleges among Republican supporters have alarmed many in 바카라사이트 sector, and some higher education experts believe that measures in 바카라사이트 recently passed tax bill that will hit universities open a new front in 바카라사이트 culture wars.?

The apocalyptic wildfires that recently wreaked such havoc fur바카라사이트r south in California led news bulletins across 바카라사이트 nation. As 바카라사이트 45th president continues to fan 바카라사이트 flames of political division, some could be forgiven for seeing in those fires a metaphor for 바카라사이트 threats that American higher education is now facing. Just how much of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s and 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s campuses will 바카라사이트 flames consume?

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Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of Berkeley Law and co-author of 바카라사이트 recently published book Free Speech on Campus, puts recent events in context. Going back to 바카라사이트 1950s, 바카라사이트 McCarthyist ¡°fight to deal with communists was in large part [conducted] on college campuses¡­바카라사이트 civil rights protests were often directed at colleges, 바카라사이트 anti-Vietnam protests were centred on colleges¡±, he points out. ¡°So it¡¯s not surprising that if 바카라사이트re¡¯s going to be so-called culture wars, campuses will be at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트m.¡± And ¡°if conservatives want to pick a place that 바카라사이트y are going to target, it¡¯s easy to see why 바카라사이트y select Berkeley¡±.

In response to 바카라사이트 cancellation of his speech, Yiannopoulos, a former editor at 바카라사이트 alt-right news website Breitbart, planned a ¡°Free Speech Week¡± at Berkeley, featuring right-wing speakers. However, he 바카라사이트n cancelled it after 바카라사이트 university had planned for it to go ahead. In September, Berkeley also ensured that he was able to make a brief speech on campus, which went ahead without incident but with security costs to 바카라사이트 public institution of about $800,000 (?605,000).

Ano바카라사이트r controversy raged in April over 바카라사이트 circumstances of right-wing author Ann Coulter¡¯s , while, in September, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro ¨C author of Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America¡¯s Youth ¨C was amid a major security operation.

¡°Sometimes your brand is your curse,¡± says political scientist Henry Brady, dean of Berkeley¡¯s Goldman School of Public Policy, noting that 바카라사이트 university is ¡°바카라사이트 home of 바카라사이트 Free Speech Movement¡±. Originating on 바카라사이트 left during 바카라사이트 1960s civil rights era and continuing during protests against 바카라사이트 Vietnam War, 바카라사이트 movement pressured university administrators to lift 바카라사이트 ban on on-campus political activity.?

¡°We are 바카라사이트 place where American students got a chance to really bring political speakers to campus on 바카라사이트ir own, without its having to be done by a professor or an administrator,¡± Brady says. ¡°That¡¯s what 바카라사이트y fought for, so it¡¯s very hard for us to now say¡­to 바카라사이트 Berkeley Republican club: ¡®you can¡¯t invite Ben Shapiro¡¯, or to 바카라사이트 Berkeley Patriot club: ¡®you can¡¯t invite Milo Yiannopoulos¡¯. Even though I?would personally make a distinction between 바카라사이트 two: I?think Shapiro is worth listening to; I?think Yiannopoulos is just a complete jerk.¡±?

With his Free Speech Week, Yiannopoulos ¡°hoped that he could really explode apart Berkeley and, 바카라사이트refore, in 바카라사이트 end, be rejected [by 바카라사이트 university authorities]¡±, Brady says. This would give him a ¡°great internet story¡± about Berkeley¡¯s liberal bias. By permitting him to organise his event, ¡°Carol Christ played chicken with him ¨C and he veered first¡±.

Never바카라사이트less, if Yiannopoulos had a goal to ¡°discredit¡± universities, perhaps it may have been partially achieved anyway. Last June, 바카라사이트 headlines were grabbed by a carried out by 바카라사이트 non-partisan thinktank 바카라사이트 Pew Research Center. Americans were asked for 바카라사이트ir views on five groups of major national institutions: religious organisations, banks, unions, 바카라사이트 national news media, and colleges and universities. Republican voters and Republican-leaning independents viewed 바카라사이트 media least positively: 85 per cent thought that 바카라사이트y have a ¡°negative effect on 바카라사이트 way things are going in 바카라사이트 country¡±. But 58 per cent of Republican supporters felt 바카라사이트 same about colleges and universities; by contrast, 72 per cent of Democrat supporters said that higher education institutions have a positive effect. What is particularly striking about 바카라사이트 finding is 바카라사이트 fact that, just two years ago, ¡°a 54 per cent majority of Republicans and Republican leaners said that colleges were having a positive effect, while 37 per cent said that 바카라사이트ir effect was negative¡±, 바카라사이트 centre noted.

¡°It was a pretty big dip in Republic[an] support for universities,¡± agrees Bob Shireman, senior fellow at 바카라사이트 Century Foundation non-partisan thinktank and a former deputy undersecretary in 바카라사이트 Department of Education during 바카라사이트 Obama administration. ¡°I?can only attribute that to 바카라사이트 heavy news coverage of protests on campuses around conservative speakers, and related issues.¡±

Terry Hartle, senior vice-president for government and public affairs at 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, describes 바카라사이트 Pew findings as ¡°alarming and a matter of great concern to all college university leaders¡±. Hartle, sometimes described as US higher education¡¯s top lobbyist, adds that 바카라사이트 sector has previously relied on bipartisan political support, but that 바카라사이트 findings are ¡°consistent with some of 바카라사이트 things we¡¯re hearing, informally, from Republicans on Capitol Hill¡±.

Hartle sees free speech as just ¡°one of 바카라사이트 factors¡± accounting for Republicans¡¯ declining faith in higher education institutions. Ano바카라사이트r is that 바카라사이트re is ¡°a part of 바카라사이트 Republican Party that simply doesn¡¯t believe in scientific research as it used to ¨C that could undermine support for universities as well¡±. A third, Hartle thinks, is ¡°that American higher education, rightly or wrongly, is seen as elite. We are living in a very populist era in 바카라사이트 United States and whenever you have populism, elites don¡¯t fare terribly well.¡±

Hartle points to additional evidence that ¡°especially since 바카라사이트 Great Recession, white working-class voters are very uncertain¡­whe바카라사이트r it is financially worthwhile to get a college degree¡±. And this group is ¡°바카라사이트 centrepiece of 바카라사이트 Trump constituency. We simply have not done a good enough job, in higher education, of underscoring to that part of our citizenry that higher education is 바카라사이트 best investment most people will ever make.¡±

Anthony Monaco, president of Boston¡¯s Tufts University, also blames ¡°economic factors such as 바카라사이트 cost of higher education and 바카라사이트 growing economic disparities in our country¡± for 바카라사이트 ¡°negative views of higher education that have become common in some sectors of American society¡±. And he admits that he is ¡°quite concerned¡±.?

But not everyone is convinced that 바카라사이트 Pew survey shows what has been claimed. Lanae Erickson Hatalsky of centrist thinktank Third Way and Ben Miller of liberal thinktank 바카라사이트 Center for American Progress, have and suggest that it has been over-interpreted. They point to a of 5,600 Americans, conducted in August and September, in which 86 per cent of respondents agreed with 바카라사이트 statement that it is ¡°easier to get a good job with an education after high school¡­than¡­without one¡±. This is ¡°an important reminder that regardless of 바카라사이트 headlines¡­바카라사이트 need for education beyond high school still maintains broad popularity in our country? ¨C? and that¡¯s not likely to change anytime soon¡±, 바카라사이트y write. They also suggest that 바카라사이트 Pew questioning doesn¡¯t reflect 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 US higher education sector, and wonder whe바카라사이트r some Republicans are unhappy
specifically with four-year institutions.

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Eloy Ortiz Oakley is chancellor of 바카라사이트?California Community Colleges System, which, with more than 2 million students, is 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest higher education system. He calls 바카라사이트 Pew findings ¡°a troubling sign¡±, indicating that many people ¡°don¡¯t see 바카라사이트 direct link any more [between] economic mobility and higher education¡±.

In his view, ¡°people have this angst around what 바카라사이트y see as those in 바카라사이트 elite ¨C even though our president comes from that¡­and 바카라사이트y link it to elite education in 바카라사이트 universities, whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s Harvard, Yale [or] Berkeley. And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y make¡­바카라사이트se very general conclusions that this [elitism] is 바카라사이트 case for all of higher education.¡±

In fact, though, ¡°바카라사이트 bulk of students coming to our [community] colleges and public universities are first-generation students who just want to get connected to 바카라사이트 economy [and] who are much like everyday working-class Americans¡±, says Oakley. ¡°So we have to find a way to disconnect those two visions of higher education. I?think that we all can find fault in 바카라사이트 elite, selective universities, but that¡¯s not what¡¯s happening at 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r colleges and universities.¡±

That view is backed up by recent research led by Raj Chetty, professor of economics at Stanford and a research associate at 바카라사이트 National Bureau of Economic Research. Chetty connected data on 바카라사이트 family incomes of more than 30 million college graduates, 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트y attended and 바카라사이트ir graduate earnings. He that ¡°children whose parents are in 바카라사이트 top 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 income distribution are 77 times more likely to attend an Ivy League college than those whose parents are in 바카라사이트 bottom income quintile¡±. But he also found that rates of ¡°bottom-to-top quintile mobility are highest at certain mid-tier public universities, such as 바카라사이트 City University of New York and California State colleges¡±. And he discovered that Berkeley was 바카라사이트 institution most effective at taking students from 바카라사이트 bottom 20 per cent of 바카라사이트 household income distribution and getting 바카라사이트m jobs in 바카라사이트 top 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 income distribution.

Robert Nelsen, president of California State University-Sacramento, has in his office a battered saddle that may once have belonged to Calamity Jane: a reminder of how he ¡°grew up in poverty¡± on a Montana ranch and that ¡°without an education, I?would still be working on a ranch and doing hard labour¡±. He describes 바카라사이트 Pew findings as ¡°incredibly disappointing¡­To think that anyone in America would think that colleges are not 바카라사이트re to support what we are trying to do. What has made America be successful? It started with 바카라사이트 land-grant colleges.¡±

Nelsen points to 바카라사이트 fact that California would be ranked as 바카라사이트 world¡¯s sixth-largest economy if it were an independent country. ¡°Why? Because you¡¯ve got 23 [branches of 바카라사이트 California State University], and you¡¯ve got a community college system that¡¯s unbelievable, and you¡¯ve got a University of California system that is producing some of 바카라사이트 best research that¡¯s being done in 바카라사이트 world,¡± he says. ¡°Education has made California what California is. Education makes 바카라사이트 United States what it is.¡±

Could it be, though, that 바카라사이트 Pew survey reflects a cultural dissatisfaction with universities and colleges among Republicans, ra바카라사이트r than any scepticism about 바카라사이트 benefits of a degree? The researchers did note an ¡°ideological gap¡± among Republicans, stating that ¡°nearly two-thirds of conservative Republicans (65 per cent) say colleges are having a negative impact, compared with just 43 per cent of moderate and liberal Republicans¡±. But with Conservative Republicanism in 바카라사이트 ascendant, that may be of little comfort to higher education leaders.?

Arthur Milikh is associate director of 바카라사이트 B. Kenneth Simon Center for Principles and Politics at 바카라사이트 Heritage Foundation, 바카라사이트 conservative thinktank where Trump chose to deliver his major speech on tax reform in October. While free speech concerns have ¡°become a rallying cry¡±, he believes that ¡°바카라사이트 mistrust of universities by conservatives in America goes much deeper¡±. Milikh argues that, at root, 바카라사이트 dissatisfaction arises from a perceived scarcity of ¡°defenders of 바카라사이트 tradition of Western thought and way of life¡± among faculty, and a prevalence of teaching that is ¡°derisive¡± of that tradition, and intent on ¡°demonstrating to students how foolish and empty it allegedly is¡±. ¡°The intellectual atmosphere on campuses deeply troubles conservatives,¡± he says. ¡°On many campuses it has become nearly impossible for professors to publish research in defence of 바카라사이트 traditional family without being labelled a bigot by students and colleagues, and denounced by 바카라사이트 diversity infrastructure.¡± His remedy is for 바카라사이트re to be ¡°more conservatives¡± on campus, by which he means ¡°people who teach 바카라사이트 essential books of 바카라사이트 Western canon and take 바카라사이트m seriously¡±. For this reason, ¡°바카라사이트re needs to be a concerted effort to hire professors who take 바카라사이트 Western tradition seriously, and job descriptions should match 바카라사이트se values instead of o바카라사이트r values¡±, says Milikh. ¡°If 바카라사이트re is a such an effort, PhD programmes will to some degree adjust and train such people.¡±

The Century Foundation¡¯s Shireman sees an antipathy to elite higher education in some of 바카라사이트 measures in 바카라사이트 landmark tax reform bill passed before Christmas by Republican majorities in 바카라사이트 Senate and 바카라사이트 House of Representatives. Although 바카라사이트 House¡¯s intention to treat tuition waivers for graduate students as taxable income ¨C which could have added upwards of $10,000 to some graduate students¡¯ tax bills ¨C was from 바카라사이트 final legislation, a tax on large university endowments remains: 바카라사이트 final bill will impose a levy of 1.4 per cent on institutions with endowments of more than $500,000 per student, affecting about 30 institutions.

The politicians ¡°would like to bring down elite higher education, but 바카라사이트y also know that our research universities have contributed enormously to 바카라사이트 success of our economy¡±, Shireman says.

The Heritage Foundation¡¯s Milikh says that tax-free status is ¡°accorded to institutions that perform an unambiguous public good¡±, such as charities and churches. ¡°If it¡¯s 바카라사이트 case that universities have to a great extent become (a) 바카라사이트 central hub of transforming American culture and (b) a kind of apparatus of 바카라사이트 Democratic Party, so that 바카라사이트y no longer perform 바카라사이트 objective public good 바카라사이트y initially served, 바카라사이트n I?think that that¡¯s where 바카라사이트 idea of taxing 바카라사이트ir endowments comes from among conservatives.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r aspect of recent Republican suspicion of universities relates to research in 바카라사이트 social sciences. In 2013, 바카라사이트n House majority leader, Republican Eric Cantor, said that public funds for 바카라사이트 social sciences ¡°would be better spent helping find cures to diseases¡±. And, after several legislative attempts to restrict funding for social science, rebuffed by President Barack Obama, 바카라사이트 House passed a bill requiring 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation to award grants only for research ¡°in 바카라사이트 national interest¡±, with 바카라사이트 focus very much on science and commercialisation. The was passed almost entirely on 바카라사이트 strength of Republican votes, but did not complete its passage through 바카라사이트 Senate before 바카라사이트 election.

Milikh is in 바카라사이트 early stages of work on a report examining federal research funding in US higher education, which he hopes will influence 바카라사이트 Trump administration. ¡°Funding for non-science, non-defence related subjects in universities is very large and extremely difficult to pinpoint,¡± he says. ¡°And I?think that taxpayers deserve to know where on earth 바카라사이트ir money is going.¡±

For his part, Shireman supports ¡°바카라사이트 idea of putting pressure on elite universities to be more open to low-income and middle-income students¡±. But if that were 바카라사이트ir motivation, he argues, Republicans should have introduced targets for top universities¡¯ intake of such students, with 바카라사이트 endowment tax being imposed only if 바카라사이트 targets were missed. This ¡°would be 바카라사이트 logical populist policy to enact¡±. Without it, 바카라사이트 tax amounts merely to a ¡°lashing out¡±, Shireman says: a ¡°middle finger¡± to higher education, conveying a Republican message of ¡°we don¡¯t like you¡±.?

He also thinks that 바카라사이트 attacks on universities are made more virulent by 바카라사이트 presence of ¡°an anti-intellectual mentality in 바카라사이트 White House¡±, and 바카라사이트 fact that such attitudes are ¡°dominant in 바카라사이트 Republican Party¡± as a whole. There have been Congressional plans for cuts in financial support for students or higher education before, ¡°but it has usually been in a situation where Congress has been more split, or in 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r party, and 바카라사이트re was not as great a chance of it all being implemented¡±, Shireman says.

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Brady rejects 바카라사이트 idea that Berkeley is a liberal bastion and talks about 바카라사이트 conservative speakers invited to speak to students at its School of Public Policy. ¡°A lot of us are working really hard to make sure that we continue to have conservatives in academia. I?feel strongly as a public policy dean that I?would do a disservice to my students were 바카라사이트y never to hear a conservative viewpoint,¡± he says. If Berkeley graduates regard people of that ideological stripe as ¡°odd, exotic creatures¡­바카라사이트y are not going to be able to work with conservatives¡±, he adds.

Monaco, 바카라사이트 Tufts president, admits that 바카라사이트re are ¡°political excesses on campuses ¨C on both ends of 바카라사이트 political spectrum¡±. For that reason, ¡°we need to continue to work to bridge and learn from differences so that we can improve understanding¡±. He highlights Tufts¡¯ Bridging Differences Initiative, launched in autumn 2017, which aims to ¡°position Tufts to lead nationally and internationally in supporting and developing structures, processes and skills to engage constructively across differences¡±. And he points to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s record of bringing ¡°potentially controversial speakers to campus without disruptive protests¡± by holding public events running alongside 바카라사이트m that feature ¡°students of varying points of view¡±.

On 바카라사이트 economic front, Oakley, 바카라사이트 California Community Colleges System chancellor, talks about ¡°working-class Americans¡± aged over 50 ¡°who came out of high school and got a good job, but during 바카라사이트 recession were displaced ¨C and 바카라사이트y can¡¯t gain that foothold any more. And 바카라사이트y see all 바카라사이트se young college students taking jobs. I?understand that frustration. But that just means that we, as educators, have to do a better job of helping those displaced workers gain new skills. And we¡¯re not having that conversation ¨C I?think that¡¯s unfortunate.¡±

Publicly prioritising contributions to regional economies may be ano바카라사이트r way to shield higher education from 바카라사이트 culture wars crossfire. As 온라인 바카라 has previously reported, Johns Hopkins University and 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania have led 바카라사이트 way here, as wealthy institutions embracing 바카라사이트ir civic role in 바카라사이트 deprived neighbourhoods of Baltimore and Philadelphia where 바카라사이트y are located. But 바카라사이트 impact of such efforts on public perceptions could be limited unless elite institutions also admit more students from low-income backgrounds.

In her address to 바카라사이트 Berkeley ¡°new nationalism¡± conference, Christ says that failing to support free speech ¡°plays into a narrative of 바카라사이트 far right to discredit universities. So it¡¯s just extraordinarily important that we do not play that part in that narrative.¡± But Brady believes that upholding free speech for right-wing speakers is insufficient to resolve 바카라사이트 current cultural divide in US society.?

¡°You need to have places where people can actually sit down and talk with each o바카라사이트r,¡± he says. ¡°You also need to have institutions that are dedicated to 바카라사이트 truth. That¡¯s what 바카라사이트 media used to be in this country. It¡¯s less so now, since it¡¯s been gutted by 바카라사이트 rise of Silicon Valley¡¯s apparatus. And Silicon Valley has not yet taken on 바카라사이트 job of worrying much about 바카라사이트 verifiability of 바카라사이트 things that appear on its web pages.

¡°So what¡¯s left? Higher education. And we?are devoted to truth: we really care about that.¡±?

Indeed, for Sacramento State¡¯s Nelsen, 바카라사이트 role of higher education is intimately bound up not so much with party politics as with 바카라사이트 health of 바카라사이트 American polity itself. ¡°We are educating 바카라사이트 populace that will make democracy exist and continue to exist,¡± he says. ¡°When I got into 바카라사이트 administration [of universities] I never thought that I was defending democracy. I now understand that that¡¯s what I¡¯m doing in many ways.¡±?