According to people with knowledge of the conference, Ono was when the university began to “wake up” and deal with the reasons why they had lost so much trust. Ono has been added The university should listen to their most “voiced critics.”
The university leaders, fixed between the liberal faculty and the Trump administration, are quietly trying to make friends in Washington amid widespread concerns about research budgets, student aid, and the White House’s quest to push academia to the right.
During his campaign, President Trump vowed to “reclaim the great educational institutions of his former days from the radical left,” and he quickly targeted diversity, equity and inclusion programs, targeting anti-Semitism and what is perceived as “awakening.” He threatened to withdraw funds from universities that he didn’t comply.
Columbia University, which was under scrutiny in its handling of pro-Palestinian protests last year, gave it an extensive list of Trump’s demands after revoking its $400 million in federal funds on Friday. Other schools carefully watched the era of tense negotiations. Behind the scenes, Colombian officials have also been in D.C. for the past few weeks, and often ask lawmakers how to restore confidence in their university, according to people familiar with the conference.
The university’s president was poured into Washington this year to meet with lawmakers and try to strengthen support. Some schools have given donations to high-profile alumni for the value of research funds and donations. And they are employing new help. More than 50 universities and universities, including well-known institutions such as Harvard, Columbia and Yale, have hired new lobbyists since Trump was re-elected.
Stanford University tapped Republican Rep. Ileana Ross Letinen, in particular. Duke University and Wake Forest University hired former Republican Senator Richard Burr. Harvard and Nashville-based Vanderbilt University have been searching for a ballad partner by the principal of Brian Ballard, known for his close ties to Trump’s circle.
The day after Trump was elected chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, hundreds of higher education leaders gathered in the auditorium there for a briefing from the leading trade group, the American Council of Education. Those who saw the trade industry report and speech said Ted Mitchell, the group’s president, vowed to fight, saying, “We won’t cower.” However, the speaker also admitted that Trump’s speed of action caused fear and overwhelm the sector.
“This is just the beginning,” warned Jonathan Funsmith, the group’s senior vice president of government affairs, from the stage.
Critics say the crackdown came after the university failed to maintain the end of its long-standing social contract. Teachers enjoy billions of dollars in government funding, tenure protections and academic autonomy, and critics accusing critics of indoctrinating left-wing ideology rather than creating productive and patriotic citizens.
Lawmakers are expected to announce multiple hearings in the coming weeks on anti-Semitism. The move is still plagued by the Battle 2023 hearing on the same subject, when the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Institute of Technology struggled to defend the agency’s approach to campus protests following the October 7 attack on Hamas. Two of the three resigned within a few weeks.
Proposed tax and loan changes, such as increasing taxes on university and university funds, which are currently only applicable to the wealthiest institutions, could also raise the school’s financial model. JD Vance, a graduate of Yale Law School, proposes increasing tax increases on donation income from 35% from the current 1.4%, and expanding the affected universities to include Colombia.
Harvard alumni Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) sponsored two bills targeting donation tax.
Michigan Republican Tim Wahlberg is chairman of the House Committee on Education and Workforce and is one of the most controversial supporters of ideas.
Higher education officials say the move will lead to a decline in financial aid and less access to higher education. At least some proposals are filming what will become law given that they can pass through the Congressional settlement process.
Trump’s allies hope that the changes will boost federal revenue and reduce university costs over time. However, many people have not kept a secret that their main goal is to use punitive policies to reduce university progress.
“We need to revise courses,” said Lindsay Burke, director of the Center for Educational Policy at the Conservative Think Tank Heritage Foundation and author of the Chapter on Education in the Project 2025 Agenda.
In the past, colleges and universities have primarily enjoyed a comfortable relationship with Washington. The university is the economic engine of many council districts and can offer perks such as football tickets and honorary degrees in exchange for the ears of local lawmakers.
Currently, few House members are interested in going to the bat for higher education, according to lobbyists, job groups and staff.
Dozens of schools, including the University of California System and Harvard University, have suspended employment amid concerns about the future of federal fundraising. The National Institutes of Health typically provides billions of dollars to universities each year for medical and public health research. The proposed cuts in that fund are currently being challenged by courts. In the meantime, some schools have revoked their applications for postgraduate students.
Earlier this month, Trump suspended $175 million in federal funds at the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 as he allowed trans athletes to compete in the women’s swimming team.
Many faculty members argue that universities shouldn’t succumb to Trump, but they’re in tricky places. It is not uncommon for large universities to have more than quarterly operating budgets coming from federal sources in the form of student loans, Pell grants and research funds. The research that supporters say is fueled by innovation and the broader economy.
On campus, many faculty members are embracing what Trump is trying to change. Many higher education institutions have senior level officials with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. One lobbyist recalled a video call with a university client who listed pronouns under their names.
The lobbyists say they are advising schools to keep lobbying activities secret and not to sway targets.
“There’s a lot of fear. I’ve never seen anything like that,” said Michael Ross, president of Wesleyan University in Connecticut. “People are afraid to speak up.”
With a state where universities have fully democratic representation, Ross is one of the few things he insists that he has a moral obligation to stand up to the Trump administration. Trump’s actions constitute a “war on civil society,” Ross told Connecticut lawmakers. He is also spoken with Senator John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennett of Colorado. Colleges and universities are the number one line of defense, he said.
Many university leaders in Blue State want their Red State counterparts to convince their representatives to spare research funds and avoid taxes.
Vanderbilt University in St. Louis and Washington University are known to have friendly ties with Missouri Republican Jason Smith. Jason Smith is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and sponsors ads for a joint newsletter that links to a joint statement that vows to avoid “political ideology” or “visions of specific change.”
Earlier this month, the top universities’ chief research officers met with House Science Committee leaders, Rep. Brian Babin (R, Texas) and Zoe Lofgren (D, California). They opposed cutting funding in major scientific institutions and discussed maintaining highly skilled foreign workers who will serve as staff in many labs in science and technology.
Small liberal art colleges have their own cases. Douglas Hicks, president of North Carolina-based Davidson College, is perhaps best known as the alma mater of basketball star Stephen Curry, but last week he was on Capitol Hill, explaining how donation taxes hurt the university’s ability to provide financial aid to students.
The light duty of the university president is still being called. After one meeting, Hicks turned red and black Davidson colours and moved to Washington, DC’s Chinatown area, attending pre-game parties at a sports bar, and then attending Davidson’s men’s basketball conference game. After the game he reverted his suit and returned to Capitol Hill.
Davidson also works with a coalition of other small liberal arts universities that first hired lobbyists in modern memory and hired their own company in Washington.
The group will listen first and then ask questions later, said Hicks and others familiar with the effort. They arrive at a meeting armed with data on how donations can hurt students in small schools that can help financial aid. And they patiently answer questions about potential anti-Semitism on campus.
“Taking a combative approach is a last resort,” Hicks said. “It’s always desirable to build relationships and communicate what our values are.”
Write to Maggie Severns at Maggie.severns@wsj.com
