How college presidents are quietly resisting federal attacks on higher education
Preview:
Where are the college presidents? It’s a question I’ve heard many times over the last few weeks as federal attacks on higher education escalate. The apparent absence of visible and vocal protest from institutional leaders has generated questions and an assumption of passivity.
But I have seen firsthand that presidents — at least those who lead the independent and mission-centered institutions with which I am familiar — are indeed doing the work to push back. The relative lack of public statements is not a sign of cowardice as some have suggested. It’s that many college presidents have rightly concluded that quiet resistance rather than public protest is a more effective strategy.
Originally published: March 12, 2025
Author: Marjorie Hass
Position: President
Institution: Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
Published by: Higher Ed Dive