Trump administration reinstates sexual misconduct rule for schools - POLITICO

“While the administration is unlawfully eroding protections for trans students under the guise of ‘protecting women and girls,’ they are systematically weakening the very laws that keep students safe and schools accountable,” said Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “Protecting women and girls means not limiting Title IX protections based on students’ reproductive traits and anatomy and enforcing Title IX to make sure schools are inclusive spaces that provide equal educational opportunity for all students.”…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/trump-administration-finalizes-repeal-of-biden-era-title-ix-rule-01094990

 

New IRS proposal threatens universities' tax-exempt status over diversity programs - POLITICO

“Weaponizing the IRS to attack colleges and universities that uphold and expand civil rights is outrageous,” Todd Wolfson, the group’s president, said in a statement. “This is blatantly racist political coercion intended to deny minority students reparative opportunities to further their education.” 

Mike Gavin, head of the Alliance for Higher Education, said the “administration’s latest rules changes are its most blatant attack to keep working class Americans and people of color from accessing higher education and a better life.”…

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/03/irs-universities-tax-exempt-status-01063478 

House passes bill penalizing universities that participate in boycott of Israel

The measure would require that colleges and universities who participate in federal student aid programs not participate in boycotts of Israel and also mandates that institutions receiving federal funding for international study and foreign language programs certify annually that they do not impose restrictions on their students participating in programs in Israel, or on students from Israel participating in programs on their campuses...

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/03/israel-boycott-university-ban-bill

 

Pentagon threatens to cut federal funding to 30 universities over foreign academic partnerships

Harvard, Yale, Stanford and others face directive to review and cut alliances Pentagon deems national security risk…

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/18/pentagon-funding-colleges-harvard 

 

US appeals court strikes down key part of Florida law restricting campus race and gender discussions

A federal appeals panel struck down a significant chunk of Ron DeSantis’s so-called Stop Woke Act on Tuesday, delivering another rebuff to the Republican Florida governor’s efforts to stifle free speech in higher education. 

 In a scathing order, judges of the 11th circuit court of appeal said by a 2-1 majority that the higher education component of the law – which prevented college and university professors teaching or sharing thoughts on concepts of race and gender – breached the free expression rights guaranteed under the US constitution’s first amendment. I

t accused the state of “puppeteering”: making the educators their mouthpieces by controlling what they can say or teach...

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/07/stop-woke-act-appeal-florida-desantis 

 

China is overtaking U.S. university research : NPR

The United States was once the research engine of the world. Now China may be taking the dominant role, thanks to massive investment and a disruptive year for American universities under the Trump administration. Just this year, Harvard lost its top spot in a global ranking measuring academic output to a university in China. In fact, 7 out of the top 10 schools on the list, curated by Leiden University in the Netherlands, are in China. This story — of geopolitical prowess, an American administration's changing priorities and the resulting scientific defunding — is playing out across dozens of fields of study...

 https://www.npr.org/2026/03/02/nx-s1-5696465/nadworny-china-research

 

Michigan House passes $76B budget cutting billions from health, environment, universities in early GOP plan

This is an early move in the budget-writing process. While some of the spending items could make it to the final budget, many are likely to see dramatic changes before the Democrat-controlled Senate and governor’s office agree…

 https://www.michiganpublic.org/politics-government/2026-04-23/michigan-house-passes-76b-budget-cutting-billions-from-health-environment-universities-in-early-gop-plan

‘I saw the writing on the wall’

Austria offers safe haven for US academics as Trump wages war on universities…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/academics-austria-safe-haven

 

Hostile powers sending spies to west’s universities, says former security chief

"In the world we are in now, and the world we foresee for the future, data is going to be absolutely critical. So how do you make sure that you know you have a level of sovereignty over your data to protect your citizens, your national securities?"

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/07/hostile-powers-spying-universities-canada-former-security-chief

 

Move over, gender studies: the conservative tide coming for US universities

Al-Gharbi, the sociologist, believes that ideological conformity and a lack of conservative views are a genuine problem in higher education, but that the "reception" of these centers is complicated by the fact that the right is elsewhere engaged in attacking academic programs, such as women's, ethnic, and area studies, whose ideas they find objectionable. 

 That makes conservatives' enthusiasm for plurality of thought feel hypocritical, he said – and also risks making these centers more isolated from their broader universities "than might be ideal for them to achieve their actual goals". He added: "One of the dangers of these centers is that you could end up with the same kind of groupthink that they were concerned about, just going in the other direction."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/oct/31/conservative-centers-universities

 

Trump slashed funding for universities that helped create these vital drugs - Washington Post

Medications that prevent HIV, shrink tumors and treat seizures were invented with government funding. At research universities, that money is now canceled or in jeopardy...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/interactive/2025/trump-university-research-medicine/

State vows to ‘instantly’ cut funding to universities that cave to Trump ‘compact’

Governor Gavin Newsom urges schools not to sign 'radical agreement' to cuts to departments, students and speech…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/02/california-university-funding-trump-compact

 

Trump offers top universities funds if they boost conservative ideas | Donald Trump | The Guardian

Brown and MIT among nine schools told to back conservative views or risk losing federal support, sparking free speech fears…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/02/trump-university-funding-compact

 

Jonathan Alter on Trump’s Authoritarian Police State (Al Franken podcast)

We’re joined by journalist and best-selling author, Jonathan Alter, to dig deeper into the latest in Trump’s America. Jonathan’s most recent piece in Washington Monthly explains how the BBB’s enormous funding for ICE will turn America into a police state. With over 75 billion dollars, ICE will now be bigger than all American law enforcement agencies combined.

We discuss Trump’s authoritarianism, including the ongoing shake down of American universities and law firms. Plus, Texas Republicans are redistricting the state to add 5 new Republican seats to the House. How can Democrats fight back? Can California and New York do the same?

Amid all of the depressing news, Alter also brings a message of hope! He deeply believes in the importance of people power. Citizens are learning ways to resist and make their voices heard. And with the coming midterms, he’s optimistic that Democrats CAN take back the House.

DONATE to World Central Kitchen and help feed the starving people of Gaza: https://donate.wck.org/

READ Jonathan’s piece on ICE in Washington Monthly: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2025/07/14/america-is-now-a-police-state/

CHECK OUT Jonathan’s Substack, Old Goats: https://oldgoats.substack.com/
Interview: 

https://www.alfranken.com/listen/jonathanalter250803

 

Opinion | Trump’s Attack on Harvard Should Upset Conservatives, Too. Here's Why. - POLITICO

But the recent moves against universities go far beyond reinterpretations of civil rights statutes. This White House wants to ensure that universities, like big law firms, media outlets and foundations, show their allegiance to those currently in charge. The mere independence of these organizations is seen as a threat to the concentration of power in the hands of the president...

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/07/16/harvard-trump-attacks-anti-semitism-00455208 

 

Republican megabill would undermine the student loan system

"Trump views colleges as his political enemies, so he is doing everything he can to tear them down..."

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/megabill-student-loans-congress-project-47-rcna215054 

 

Trump administration exploits landmark civil rights act to fight universities’ diversity initiatives | Trump administration | The Guardian

"The decision was about admissions practices, it did not say that diversity didn't matter or that diversity was unlawful," echoed Wiley, noting that what has been dubbed "DEI" is actually a diverse set of practices aiming to promote equity. "What this administration is doing essentially is taking one supreme court opinion about college admissions and trying to turn it into a sword against everything it doesn't like, whether it's lawful or not."

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/01/trump-administration-civil-rights-act 

 

Weekly Roundup: The Pope, JD Vance, and Anti-Christian Bias (Bradley Onishi and Daniel Miller; Straight White American Jesus podcast)

Brad and Dan talk about the controversial legacy of Pope Francis following his recent death, discussing his mixed reception among both conservatives and progressives. They highlight recent initiatives, including President Trump’s anti-Christian bias task force led by figures such as Pam Bondi and Pete Hegseth.

The discussion touches on the differences between genuine religious freedom and Christian supremacy, as well as the potential uses of the task force for political propaganda.

Brad and Dan also cover recent legal losses for Trump, including issues with China trade tariffs, university disputes, and challenges in Ukraine. They conclude with updates on ongoing protests and legal actions, emphasizing growing pushback against the administration.
Interview: 

https://www.straightwhiteamericanjesus.com/episodes/weekly-roundup-the-pope-jd-vance-and-anti-christian-bias/

US universities face choice to surrender or fight back against Trump’s ‘takeover’

'Extraordinary fear' takes hold at universities as Trump campaign threatens investigations or loss of federal funds…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/20/universities-trump-administration

 

Trump Tax Plan EXPLODES In Devastating Financial Blow Against Students

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OYV7dv5CkQ