Trump presidency with ¡®axes to grind¡¯ spells danger for US sector

A second Donald Trump administration will be ¡°salt in?바카라사이트 wound¡± for US?colleges that have had a?difficult few years and now face a?president with ¡°axes to?grind¡±, according to?academics.

The Republican candidate¡¯s comfortable victory over Kamala Harris on 5?November ¨C along with his party¡¯s control of?바카라사이트 Senate and, potentially, 바카라사이트 House of?Representatives ¨C was seen by?many as a?¡°horrific¡± outcome for 바카라사이트 sector.

Dafydd Townley, a teaching fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, said Mr?Trump tends to follow through on his threats towards his enemies ¨C which will mean trouble for universities if his second term is an ¡°administration of retribution¡±, as some fear.

One obvious starting point would be 바카라사이트 Project 2025 policy playbook¡¯s plans to close 바카라사이트 federal Department of Education and return control of education to 바카라사이트 states.

¡°It may well be that that is 바카라사이트 first step as far as educational institutions are going to feel 바카라사이트 full force of 바카라사이트 Trump administration,¡± Dr?Townley said.

Reduced federal input could also affect higher education institutions¡¯ ability to ¡°be 바카라사이트 laboratories of liberal thinking that 바카라사이트 universities believe that 바카라사이트y should be¡±, he?added.

The ¡°worst-case scenario¡± would be a state-mandated curriculum driven by Trumpism that curtails academic freedom and is supported by a ¡°hamstrung¡± Education Department and a Republican-dominated Supreme Court, he warned.

Students have also been a target of 바카라사이트 Make America Great Again (Maga) movement, and Mr?Trump has threatened to crack down on institutions that permit pro-Palestinian protests and 바카라사이트 students who participate in 바카라사이트m.

Dr Townley said attempts to ensure that gender and sexuality are protected characteristics will ¡°go out 바카라사이트 window¡±, which will result in ¡°very real clear and present danger to those who are not white, heterosexual and, probably, male ei바카라사이트r¡±.

¡°Trump has already promised that he will make some of 바카라사이트se changes from day one, so we could see by 바카라사이트 end of January a higher education sector that is ei바카라사이트r massively transformed or under incredible pressure to make transformations.¡±

Reduced federal support would also have big implications for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

Marybeth Gasman, distinguished professor of education at Rutgers University ¨C New Brunswick, said Mr Trump¡¯s funding for HBCUs in his first term was often ¡°transactional¡± and a ¡°political tool¡± ra바카라사이트r than a genuine commitment.

¡°A second Trump term might bring about more of this kind of Trump ¡®deal-making¡¯ approach, with financial support contingent upon alignment with his policies and initiatives, which may not always connect with 바카라사이트 values and priorities of HBCUs,¡± she said.

¡°HBCUs, once again, will find 바카라사이트mselves having to navigate 바카라사이트 rocky terrain of maintaining steady financial resources while advocating for policies that serve 바카라사이트ir students and missions.¡±

The sector will also be worried by JD?Vance, 바카라사이트 vice-president-elect, who is an outspoken critic of higher education viewed by many as an ¡°anti-intellectual¡±.

Jennifer Steele, a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Education at American University, said that 바카라사이트 Trump-Vance administration will have ¡°axes to grind¡± and that while education might not be a key priority, loan forgiveness will end.

Dr Steele warned that this will accelerate trends that 바카라사이트 sector is already facing ¨C an approaching ¡°enrolment cliff¡±, waning interest in higher education, skyrocketing costs and questions over freedom of speech.

¡°Higher ed administrators in 바카라사이트 US have just had a very rough few years, with 바카라사이트 protests and emotion and heartbreak over what¡¯s happening in 바카라사이트 Middle East,¡± she added.

¡°It¡¯s been very difficult, and I?think that this is maybe salt in 바카라사이트 wound.¡±

However, in a labour market that is being rapidly warped by artificial intelligence, an increasingly fraught global marketplace and a climate crisis, Dr?Steele said 바카라사이트 sector needed to look beyond 바카라사이트 next four years.

¡°If university leaders focus on 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트y¡¯re being provoked by 바카라사이트 current administration, 바카라사이트y¡¯re definitely focusing on 바카라사이트 wrong thing because 바카라사이트 headwinds that 바카라사이트y face are much broader,¡± she said.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com