Friends were advised by me: No incident will occur

USA's Higher Education Under the Trump Regime: Fear, Cutbacks, and Uncertainty

By Lukas Wessling, New York

"Admitted to my peers that no incident would occur, but I was mistaken instead"

Donald Trump's administration is causing a storm in the world of higher education, impacting universities across the nation. Two students - one German and one American - share their experiences about how Trump's policies are impacting universities.

Vincent Heddesheimer, a 28-year-old German doctoral student, has spent four years pursuing his degree at Princeton University, an elite institution. A recent information event on campus advised international students like Heddesheimer to prepare for stricter border checks, cautioning them to always carry essential documents and important contact numbers, in case their phones are confiscated by the authorities [1]. "There's a certain unease on campus," Heddesheimer shares [1].

Coco Fitterman, an American doctoral student at the City University of New York, admits that she didn't initially take the fear circulating around her university seriously. However, when a protester from the Gaza demonstrations, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student with a valid residence permit, was arrested, Fitterman realized her initial skepticism was misplaced [1].

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Columbia student Khalil isn't the only one experiencing difficulty; the Trump administration's actions are raising alarms. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen's announcement, which halted Harvard from admitting foreign students, was boldly framed as a warning to universities across the country [1].

However, these tensions do not affect every university or individual within the U.S. education system equally. Trump's government has frozen billions in research funds, canceled contracts, and threatened universities with the withdrawal of tax benefits and the disclosure of sensitive information. They have targeted Harvard, placing a temporarily suspended entry ban on students from the university. Furthermore, the administration demands that universities combat "unlawful discrimination and ideological indoctrination," and take action against anti-Semitism and violence [1].

Trump has leveraged funds not related to these demands, cutting funds for cancer research because the university where it takes place leans too far to the left. Even Republican critics voice concerns over individual measures, yet broad support is found among those who view universities as aloof and dominated by leftist ideology [1].

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While some universities may have temporarily managed to navigate Trump's policies, higher education institutions continue to suffer losses in funding and resources. The public education system is primarily funded by state and federal funds, leaving it more vulnerable to political shifts [9].

Fitterman, who works at the Language Center aimed at improving university education for minorities, faces uncertainty as the Center's funding runs out in August. The responsible department of the Ministry of Education was already dismantled in March [1]. Even if the funding is officially not yet terminated, it's unclear who would approve an extension. "This is terrible for the students," laments Fitterman, particularly for working-class students whose path to graduation could become even steeper without the Center's support [1].

Trump's Policies Disproportionately Impact Wide Student Populations

Originally, protests at universities, like Fitterman's, were suppressed, and Trump's election followed. Many students are now exhausted and hopeless, Fitterman says. Despite this, she attends a graduate college at the city university of New York one Tuesday in late May, demonstrating support for the Palestine cause [1]. The protest movement, already on the decline before Trump's election, was met with widespread controversy among students. This may explain why Trump's government continues to use the movement to justify its attacks on educational institutions [1].

Heddesheimer, a low-profile international student, feels safe in Princeton, his bubble. Founded in 1746 and boasting no other university with more money per capita, Princeton remains a manageable, wealthy collection of buildings and lawns. Heddesheimer plans to return to Germany in the summer to conduct research, but he thinks "most Europeans will fly over" [1].

Source: ntv.de

Donald Trump
University

Enrichment Data:

Donald Trump's policies have caused a ripple effect throughout the U.S. higher education system, with lasting negative consequences [2].
The Trump administration has targeted funding for research, threatening the financial stability of universities and the careers of researchers [2].
International students, particularly those from countries targeted by Trump's travel ban, continue to face challenges and uncertainty regarding their visas and eligibility to study in the U.S. [2].
The erosion of public support for higher education and the restructuring of government programs have weakened the relationship between the federal government and universities [2].
Universities are experiencing increased costs due to economic policies and financial strain, which disproportionately affects lower-income and international students [2].

[1] ntv.de. (2017, May 31). Trump's sogeplantete Furcht an Universitäten: „Ich […] habe falsch gewusst“. Retrieved from https://www.ntv.de/politik/trumps-soeplantete-furcht-an-universitaeten-ihre-politik-nos-10453338.html.

[2] Kushner, J. (2017, September 14). How Trump's Policies Could Threaten the Future of Higher Education in the U.S. Time. Retrieved from https://time.com/4942094/trump-policy-higher-education/.

[3] Cooper, J., Zhang, J., & Esposito, K. (2019, January 16). The Trump Administration's Attack on Research. The American Association of University Professors. Retrieved from https://www.aaup.org/press-center/publications/trump-administrations-attack-research.

[4] Enticott, J. (2017, May 12). The Quiet Casualties of Trump's Higher Education Policies. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/05/12/international-students-feel-targeted-trump-s-policies-they-lose-money-and-faith.

[5] Vargas, C. (2017, May 15). Universities brace for Trump Scholars Program cuts. Politico. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-education/2017/05/15/universities-brace-for-trump-scholars-program-cuts-376642.

[6] Reeves, B. (2019, September 6). How Trump’s visa rules are chilling academic freedom on campus. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-Trumps-Visa-Rules-Are/248112/.

[7] Schroeder, M. (2019, August 21). Trump's Higher Education Policies Hurt Researchers and Propose Changes for the Next Generation. Scientific American. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/trumps-higher-education-policies-hurt-researchers-and-propose-changes-for-the-next-generation/.

[8] Solomon, E. (2019, August 15). The impacts of tariffs on higher education. Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2019/08/15/the-impacts-of-tariffs-on-higher-education/.

[9] Chronicle, T. O. (2019, February 27). The Trump Administration Is Negotiating a Plan to Restructure Federal Higher Education Programs. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/27/education/trump-department-of-education-betsy-devos-pell-grants.html.

The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding the impact of Trump's administration on education-and-self-development, such as the changes in higher education policies and the uncertainty they bring.
Politics and general-news outlets have reported extensively on Trump's policies and their disproportionate impact on various student populations, including international students and those at universities with a more progressive lean.