By Ruth A. Sheets
You have probably heard that the Trump Regime is asking nine U.S. universities to sign an agreement pledging to uphold the regime’s higher education priorities, or risk losing out on a range of grants and other financial assistance for the university’s research and other programs, and it is likely those are just the first. That is a kind of blackmail and totally unacceptable.
So far, 5 universities have said “”NO,” but 4 still have not responded. I just learned Vanderbilt, my alma mater, is one of those universities being “offered” this compact and has not responded.
The major stipulations are not items any government should be demanding of any educational institution at any level.
According to Wikipedia, Key Demands of the Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education include:
- Capping international undergraduate students at 15% of the total student body.
• Freezing tuition rates for five years. (the only one that could be good)
- Adopting policies that prevent the belittling of conservative ideas and ensure First Amendment rights are upheld on campus.
• Implementing admissions practices that do not consider sex, ethnicity, race, nationality, political views, or other similar factors.
View source at wikipedia.org …
I had heard, but not been able to confirm that Vanderbilt was talking about ditching their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in student acceptance. I received an email from Chancellor Daniel Diermeier this evening. Here is the final paragraph of that email.
Vanderbilt
believes deeply in the power of constructive dialogue, particularly
among people of differing views and perspectives. This is often how the
greatest progress is made. We look forward to continuing the
conversation—on our campus and with leaders in government and higher
education—as we work toward our shared goal of restoring public trust in
higher education and ensuring that America’s universities remain the
best in the world.
It sounds to me as though compliance is in the offing. The following is my response to the email.
Hello Vanderbilt Administration”
I noticed in this email that students were only mentioned at the very end along with parents and alumni as commenters. It seems to me that there should be some students involved in the compact discussion. I am sure you are aware that this is not a compact at all, but a desire of those who have no idea what they are doing, to force colleges and Universities to do the bidding of those who have no clue but want power over and compliance in advance from those institutions.
I am sure you know this, so I don’t understand this talk about sharing different points of view. When, in a democracy, one side wants to take over the universities, media, education in general and pretty much everything else, that is not differing points of view, that is “Truth” in the face of autocracy which is made up of lies, cheating, fraud, and dismissal of the thoughts, needs, and beliefs of others. In this case, for this regime pumping out something as appalling as this “compact” the only folks worth listening to are rich, white, pseudochristian, “straight” men. To the regime, the rest of us are irrelevant, worthy of only being bossed around by and made subservient to those rich white etc. men. If you are not sure of that, this Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies and marches should have let you know.
I admit I will be very disappointed, perhaps even quite angry if Vanderbilt submits to this undemocratic, unamerican nonsense by Trump and his project 2025ers, all done for their own gains and the gains of their billionaire sponsors, and election buyers.
Signed, Ruth Sheets, Vanderbilt 1975 & 1988
I don’t know if this will have an impact, I’m guessing not because it seems only the Administration and a few department heads will be making the decision. I hope enough students, parents, and alums have told them we do not want compliance; We want defiance!