The Trump administration’s unwarranted attacks on higher educational institutions are consistent with its undermining attacks on other democratic institutions. Last week on the PBS Newshour program, Michael Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, made these and other key points in an interview. Part 1 of the excerpts from the interview transcript is repeated here. I will present Part 2 next time.
AMNA NAWAZ (Host): Columbia University and the Trump administration have reached a deal that restores federal funding and research grant money to the university. As part of the agreement, Columbia will pay $200 million to the federal government over three years and an additional $21 million to resolve alleged civil rights violations against Jewish employees.
The university agreed to suspend, expel, or revoke degrees from some 70 students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, and it will issue a report to a monitor to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion is not promoted on campus.
Columbia, which was at risk of losing billions of dollars from the government, says it retains its academic freedom. For a closer look at this agreement and what it means for higher education in the U.S., I’m joined by Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University…
AMNA NAWAZ: So, let’s just start with your initial reaction. When you heard the news and the details of this settlement, what did you think?
MICHAEL ROTH: Well, I felt like one must feel when you have paid a ransom in a kidnapping situation and the person who’s been kidnapped is returned safely. You think, thank goodness, the kid’s OK, or the person kidnapped is OK. But I wouldn’t praise the agreement that led to the liberation of the kidnapped person. And so, in this case, I was pleased that this particular moment of assault on higher education by the Trump administration has been resolved, at least for now, although who knows. These agreements come and go with this White House.
I was and I am distressed that, in this country today, the executive branch of the federal government wants to be able to dictate terms to private universities, law firms, newspapers, TV stations. And so, all of these things are evidence that the current administration is trying to erode support for institutions in civil society.
AMNA NAWAZ: … President Roth, do you believe that, after this deal, Columbia can move forward with full academic freedom, as President Shipman is saying? And what do you believe the downstream effects of making a deal like this are for other universities?
MICHAEL ROTH: Well, it’s very clear that if you annoy the White House in this regime, you could get sucked into a process of litigation or fines that bear no relation to the facts of the matter, but just become a way of expressing loyalty, of conforming to the wishes of the government. We saw it at UVA just a week or two ago. You see it now at George Mason.
This is an effort to tell universities, as they have told law firms, as they’re telling newspapers, and as they have done with TV stations, telling these organizations, you are not independent. If you contract with the federal government, we have the right to tell you what to do.
This agreement does protect many things at Columbia. And, again, I’m not criticizing them for signing it. I don’t criticize the parent for paying a ransom to get their kids back.
They’re getting their science back. But they’re also telling the federal government, you can tell us how to run our Middle East studies program, telling the federal government, you can tell us how many police officers we should have at a minimum on campus or how students should be disciplined. The White House has determined how students should be disciplined at a private university.
This is massive overreach. This is an assault on the independence of civil society in America. And conservatives, liberals, moderates, they should all be concerned when a White House tells you how to run your private associations.
