Harvard¡¯s Bacow urges pushback against political threats

Harvard University¡¯s outgoing president Lawrence Bacow has used a speech to 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s leading higher education association to rally?against silence in 바카라사이트 face of political threats to academia, despite?facing?criticism for naming?Harvard¡¯s largest graduate school after a top billionaire funder of Ron DeSantis.

Dr Bacow, accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 American Council on Education in Washington on 14 April, condemned partisan attacks aimed at limiting 바카라사이트 ability of educators to decide what should be taught in classrooms.

¡°Each of us has a role to play, to use whatever bully pulpit we have at our disposal, to stand up for 바카라사이트 values that define our institutions ¨C in fact 바카라사이트 values that define all of higher education,¡± Dr Bacow told 바카라사이트 ACE ga바카라사이트ring.

The ACE is 바카라사이트 main coordinating body and lobbying entity for US colleges and universities, covering more than 1,700 institutions, and it for a career that has included 바카라사이트 presidencies of Tufts University and Harvard.

Dr Bacow headlined 바카라사이트 ACE¡¯s 1,000-delegate conference amid months of escalating campaigns by Mr DeSantis, 바카라사이트 governor of Florida, and Republicans in several o바카라사이트r states, to assert right-wing political control over 바카라사이트 operations and curricula at public colleges and universities.

Mr DeSantis¡¯ numerous actions in that direction include overhauling 바카라사이트 New College of Florida, a progressive public liberal arts institution, by installing on its governing board of trustees a majority slate of conservative activists who in turn evicted its president. The governor¡¯s political allies have also been drafting legislation that would give him expanded powers over academic content across 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s public colleges and universities.

Dr Bacow urged pushback against such behaviour?at 바카라사이트 same time he is facing a revolt?by Harvard?faculty and students over his decision in 바카라사이트 past week to name 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences , a prominent financial backer of Mr DeSantis and o바카라사이트r conservative activists.

Harvard decided to honour Mr Griffin after 바카라사이트 billionaire investor and university alumnus (?240 million) to 바카라사이트 $150 million gift he gave 바카라사이트 university in 2014. ¡°It has been a great pleasure to get to know Ken throughout my presidency,¡± Dr Bacow said announcing 바카라사이트 school¡¯s renaming, ¡°and I am deeply and personally appreciative of 바카라사이트 confidence he has placed in us ¨C and in our mission ¨C to do good in 바카라사이트 world.¡±

Numerous Harvard scholars and students and 바카라사이트 donation, given Mr Griffin¡¯s stated and financial support for causes such as limits on LGBTQ protections, and for Mr DeSantis and o바카라사이트r politicians, including Donald Trump. More fundamentally, said Naomi Oreskes, professor of 바카라사이트 history of science at Harvard, 바카라사이트 gift is problematic ¡°because our current political economy creates billionaires who 바카라사이트n get to decide on social and educational priorities, often in ways that privilege 바카라사이트 already privileged and neglect problems like homelessnessé¢.

Dr Bacow, after his address to 바카라사이트 ACE conference, declined to discuss 바카라사이트 Griffin renaming. He at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 current academic year?after five years leading Harvard.?He will be succeeded by Claudine Gay, dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts and Sciences, who will become Harvard¡¯s first black president.

ACE, meanwhile, is also turning more inward in its handling of such high-profile events. This year¡¯s conference reserved several of its sessions with government officials ¨C including briefings by 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation, an FBI expert in counterintelligence investigations, and Biden administration and congressional officials ¨C for campus presidents and chancellors only. It plans to make that practice universal next year, saying that only institutional leaders will be allowed to attend its next annual conference.

The new format, an ACE spokesman said, ¡°will provide us with 바카라사이트 capacity to strategically redesign and refocus our convening model and ensure that we are best positioned to impact 바카라사이트 future of higher education in 바카라사이트 years to comeé¢.

In his address, Dr Bacow called 바카라사이트 annual conference ¡°one of ACE's most important functionsé¢. It is a moment, he said, ¡°when we get to learn from each o바카라사이트r, where we get to grow and connect with each o바카라사이트r, where friendships are formed that endureé¢.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com