A group of former presidents of American colleges and universities, deeply committed to the role of higher education in the country, has urged the Trump administration to halt its damaging assaults on these institutions. They advocate for a constructive dialogue with board trustees and university presidents regarding governance and educational guidelines. The group condemns the federal government’s threats to withdraw funding and the imposition of ideological conditions for reinstatement without due process, deeming them illegal under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and unconstitutional under the First Amendment. These actions, they argue, jeopardize the fundamental mission of higher education, which is to foster open dialogue, free inquiry, academic integrity, and the pursuit of truth. U.S. colleges and universities are highlighted as vital contributors to national creativity and innovation, offering significant benefits to American prosperity, safety, security, and overall well-being.
The former presidents express their support for board trustees and university leaders as they collectively uphold the principles of higher education. They call for resistance and legal challenges against unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of protecting academic departments and programs from political interference, securing funding for scientific research, and encouraging free expression and civil discourse. They also urge the American public to actively participate in community forums to derive solutions for issues faced by their alma maters and local academic establishments.
Acknowledging legitimate concerns about the independence and governance of academic institutions due to recent campus events, the former presidents assert that no student or scholar should be compelled to exhibit ideological conformity and should not be subjected to external pressure to do so. The authors assert that social justice or partisan politics must not overshadow colleges and universities’ core mission: pursuing truth, advancing knowledge, and educating responsible citizens.
The group warns that arbitrary attacks on higher education, which bypass legally required due processes, exert a chilling effect on campus life and undermine the unique contributions of education to the nation’s economy, technology leadership, cultural foundations, healthcare, and community quality of life. U.S. higher education’s economic contributions underpin significant portions of the nation’s GDP, and disruptively targeting these institutions could have profound ramifications. The trade surplus from higher education accounts for a notable portion of the U.S. services trade surplus, with international student tuitions injecting $45 billion into the national economy. Colleges and universities play a crucial role in enhancing average lifespans, improving socioeconomic mobility, and training a skilled workforce, all of which are essential to maintaining American prosperity and global leadership.
The former presidents appeal to the Trump administration to cease its escalating attacks on higher education and urge boards of trustees to avoid compromising on institutional values while encouraging university presidents to champion their schools’ causes.
The statement is authored by numerous former university leaders, including Edward Ayers from the University of Richmond, Kimberly Benston from Haverford College, and Lee Bollinger from Columbia University and the University of Michigan, among others. They affirm that their institutional affiliations are provided for identification purposes only and declare that the commentary represents their views, not those of Fortune or other entities.
