The Trump administration recently demanded that Harvard comply with orders to release the disciplinary records of international students. If they did not comply, the Trump administration threatened to freeze their funding.
Harvard responded by saying that as an educational institution, they do not bow to any one particular administration, and that the government should not dictate what policies the university enacts.
As a direct result, the Trump administration is moving forward with freezing $2.2 billion in funds and is even threatening to remove their tax-exempt status as an institution.
Harvard is one of the most prestigious universities and is the oldest in the United States. It is known for educating some of the most elite individuals, like Neil deGrasse Tyson and Barack Obama. There is something to be learned from Harvard’s stance on these demands.
As a university, we should not have to change the curriculum based on who is president, and we most definitely should not have to give out information that could risk the safety of students.
Around 13% of students at the UNK are international students. It would put those students at risk if they so much as supported a protest against the current administration.
Harvard is the first and only institution that seems to be standing up to this, and it should not be the last.
Universities are breeding grounds for independent thought and critical thinking. Those things should be fostered, not stifled. International students should be able to come here to study and feel safe to express themselves in any way they wish.
The Dear Colleague letter that we received in February should not frighten us. In fact, we should use it as an opportunity to take a stance. It should be a chance to say that the universities will not bow down to an anti-intellectual administration.
The Trump administration is busy attempting to muzzle institutions because, as long as they exist, people will continue to question the structures of government and prejudiced systems in place.
Universities are beacons of free thought. As long as we have an administration that seeks to prevent international students from engaging in that, it is of utmost importance that we put a stake in the ground and make a firm stance.
There is a lot of money that could be lost in research, and budget cuts are always a risk. But the price of doing the right thing far exceeds the cost of the result.
