Colleges Have to Be Much More Honest With Themselves
Preview:
Leaders of American higher education have largely reacted to the Trump administration’s rhetorical and financial assaults by locking down in a defensive crouch. That is understandable given the administration’s view of universities, which JD Vance once called “hostile institutions,” and its apparent admiration of the Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban’s takeover of higher education. But there will be scant room for American higher education to tell its story of opportunity, transformation and discovery as long as colleges and universities deny what many of us know but few will say: Our critics have a point.
Originally published: March 29, 2025
Author: Greg Weiner
Position: President
Institution: Assumption University
Published by: The New York Times