"Harvard's Last Stand" and Bavaria's Offer of Refuge: A Professor's Optimistic Outlook Amidst Trump's Crackdown on Elite Universities
University scholar perceives potential for protracted conflict between Harvard and Trump administration.
The top-tier institution of higher education, Harvard, is bracing itself for a long-haul fight against the Trump administration, according to political scientist Ryan Enos, the director of the Center for American Political Studies at the university. Enos believes that Harvard's reserves and recent surge of wealthly alumni contributions make it resilient in the face of this administrative challenge.
Donald Trump's administration aims to strip Harvard of $3 billion in federal research funding, a move that Enos, an initiator of Harvard's resistance against Trump, opposes. He voiced his concerns to German news magazine Der Spiegel, stating, "We can hold out for a while. It's about our democracy." Enos has been leading the charge against the Trump Administration's attempts to interfere in the autonomy of US elite universities. In March, he, along with colleague Steven Levitsky, appealed to Harvard's leadership to stand against the government's interference. The petition, which garnered over 800 signatures from Harvard's faculty, eventually led to President Alan Garber publicly opposing the Trump administration's attacks.
Harvard now serves as a symbol of resistance in the US, Enos told Der Spiegel. Trump, Enos believes, wants to crush this resistance, but other universities, social groups, and institutions need to step up and show more resistance, he emphasized.
The government's recent decision to ban international students from Harvard, temporarily overturned by a court, has led to a decrease in the number of international students at the institution. Enos anticipates that students will leave due to uncertainty and fear, as well as hesitation from prospective students who currently have visas or applicants who don't have an entry permit.
In response to the Trump administration's policies, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder has proposed establishing a sort of "Harvard Exile Campus" in Bavaria. In an interview on RTL and ntv, Söder expressed his willingness to welcome students affected by the dispute with the Trump administration, stating, "I can only say: Please, come to Germany, preferably to Bavaria." The extensive university infrastructure in Bavaria could serve as a suitable space for these students. Söder stressed the need for both federal and state funding to realize this initiative, as financial offerings in Germany are currently limited compared to those in the U.S.
Sources: ntv.de, fzo.de
- Symbolic Fight Against Harvard
- Markus Söder's Offer to Host Harvard Students
- Elite University
- Donald Trump
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation in the context of the symbolic fight against Harvard, led by Professor Ryan Enos. Meanwhile, education-and-self-development and learning are crucial for both American and international students who may be facing uncertainties and challenges due to the ongoing war-and-conflicts between universities and the Trump administration. Policy-and-legislation should remain flexible and responsive to the ever-changing circumstances, as the situation demands a continuous review and update of policies to ensure the best interests of all parties involved.
