Elite presidents in battle over admin

[Anonymous]

It seems that there’s an intense battle on how college presidents wish to respond to the changes in higher education: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/trump-university-presidents/683803/

[Anonymous]

I agree with Eisgruber (Princeton) that it's dangerous and a folly for universities to capitulate to a sitting president's political agenda (Trump). That's not what democracies should do. It's what happened very quickly in Russia (see the film my Undesirable Friends Part 1, 2024).

I think some of these uni presidents don't have a backbone and also smell an opportunity to take a middling position or play along with Trump.

History will judge this mess. They're all in the crucible now and we'll see and history will tell what they're made of.

[Anonymous]

Insane to spend centuries accumulating upwards of $20B and a reputation for the ages, only to let some upstart half-dead loser lead you around by the ear into the dirt.

[Anonymous]

. They argue that some campuses (in, say, Cambridge and Morningside Heights) and departments (much of the humanities) have leaned too far into leftist ideology and allowed anti-Semitism to fester under the guise of protesting Israeli policies. They want the American public to know that they are different from the Ivies. And they think that higher education needs new representation if it’s going to regain the country’s trust.

Are Vanderbilt and WUSTL unaware of their own scholars, who are mostly liberal, and that their own humanities departments engage in the same behavior? It honestly sounds like the WUSTL and Vanderbilt president are deeply insecure that they don't get to lead Harvard or Columbia. I'm surprised this behavior is so clear in a president of higher education.

[Anonymous]

without paywall: https://archive.is/2025.08.11-200305/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/trump-university-presidents/683803/

[Anonymous]

I’m going to steer my high schooler to apply to schools with integrity and backbone. I’m ready to full pay and will certainly not turn my hard-earned money over to cowards and bootlickers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to steer my high schooler to apply to schools with integrity and backbone. I’m ready to full pay and will certainly not turn my hard-earned money over to cowards and bootlickers.

Bet that kid is happy to get away from you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to steer my high schooler to apply to schools with integrity and backbone. I’m ready to full pay and will certainly not turn my hard-earned money over to cowards and bootlickers.

Bet that kid is happy to get away from you.

Eh, it's a very normal take. Your institution going crazy anti-woke and trying to purge out professors like it's Germany is a ridiculous waste of time and resources.

[Anonymous]

Vanderbilt is declining before our eyes and it started with the 3 new campuses theyre building. WashU has always been ultra conservative so no surprise there. Shame on Rice for joining them.

[Anonymous]

"When time finally ran out, some thanked a higher power."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vanderbilt is declining before our eyes and it started with the 3 new campuses theyre building. WashU has always been ultra conservative so no surprise there. Shame on Rice for joining them.

Rice started acting like this when they began opening business offerings for the undergraduate students. All these institutions are recognizing is they can amass a ton of power if they increase the amount of students rushing into consulting and IB. Vanderbilt and WUSTL are delusional if they think they're replacing HYP anytime soon.

[Anonymous]

Princeton has the $ to say that and not the big NIH contracts that some of the others have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Princeton has the $ to say that and not the big NIH contracts that some of the others have.

This. Sometimes you settle a lawsuit because it is best to do so, even if you’re in the right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that there’s an intense battle on how college presidents wish to respond to the changes in higher education: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/trump-university-presidents/683803/

Any president that capitulates to traitor dictator din the con is anti American and should resign.

[Anonymous]

I applaud Vandy and WashU. For too long, too many liberal institutions have suppressed the voices of those who don't agree with their views. Princeton may be all in all DEI but they do not have ideological diversity.