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Academics Whine About Trump During Forum at the University of Pennsylvania

Academics Whine About Trump During Forum at the University of Pennsylvania

“attempts to revive the prejudices of the past and erase any progress we’ve made toward becoming a multiracial democracy”

People in higher education have a right to be nervous. Trump has a much stronger interest in real reform this time around.

The College Fix reports:

Bigwig academics lament donor influence, Trump at U. Pennsylvania forum

In the first of three University of Pennsylvania forums last Thursday, several university heavyweights talked about “How Politics are Reshaping America’s Great Universities.”

Panelists included Wesleyan University President Michael Roth, New York University President Emeritus John Sexton, and Irene Mulvey, former president of the American Association of University Professors.

“Over the past decade, both state and federal government actors have exerted increasing pressure and influence on higher education,” the event description reads. “They have threatened to withhold funding [and they have sought to influence the hiring of faculty and the content of the curriculum, sometimes successfully.”

The panelists also considered “current threats […] that could transform” the academy.

Roth took “current” literally as he said higher ed is “on the front lines of a war against civil society by the new administration,” according to The Philadelphia Inquirer

Roth, who’s ripped the reversal of Roe v. Wade (“the language of a minority of right-wing, religious ideologues”) and Donald Trump’s alleged attacks on democracy and “rule of law,” and has advocated universities take political stands against Trump, criticized the influence of wealthy donors.

“These are rich guys trying to have their way,” Roth said. “You know something about that at Penn. You have billionaires who are used to throwing their weight around, and they’ve done it here. And now they are doing it throughout the whole country.”

Roth (pictured) appeared to be referencing the withdrawal of Stone Ridge Asset Management CEO Ross Stevens’ $100 million donation following former Penn President Liz Magill’s late-2023 congressional testimony on campus antisemitism.

The AAUP’s Mulvey referred to Magill’s (and others’) testimonial travails as a “witch hunt” and “unAmerican.”

Mulvey also said “attacks” on DEI — diversity, equity, and inclusion — were “attempts to revive the prejudices of the past and erase any progress we’ve made toward becoming a multiracial democracy.”

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Comments


 
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henrybowman | February 3, 2025 at 9:45 am

“Over the past decade, both state and federal government actors have exerted increasing pressure and influence on higher education,” the event description reads. “They have threatened to withhold funding”

“Nobody told me there was going to be a performance review!”

“These are rich guys trying to have their way,” Roth said.”

These rich guys.


 
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SeekingRationalThought | February 3, 2025 at 10:19 am

These dweebs didn’t have to sell their souls to the Federal Government or the wealthy. They did so out of greed and for personal gain. Look at their salaries. This is what you get when your educational system is based upon telling your anti-intellectual, agenda driven professors what they want to hear, not what you actually think. The rot rises to the top. The empty suits “leading” our educational institutions are intellectually, morally and economically corrupt. That’s why I changed my will to eliminate the large bequest to my college. I haven’t told them and suspect that’s true of most who have taken similar steps. The dweebs are in for some shocks over the next several decades.

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