Higher Education Under Trump

Computational Complexity 2024-11-07

It feels eerie as pretty much everyone seemingly avoided talking about the election. But Trump back in the White House will likely have a profound effect on US Colleges and Universities. Trump is no fan of universities and his vice-president once proclaimed "the professors are the enemy".

While most US universities act outside of federal control, almost all of them take Federal funds in scholarships and grants and Trump could use that as a lever to push his policies.

Now Trump is always unpredictable and the courts could step in but here is what could happen.

International Students

I still remember Trump's ban on Iranians in the US and what it meant to our students and faculty at Georgia Tech. While that thankfully got blocked by the courts, who knows what will happen in this next administration.

International students at all levels in higher ed play a major role in increasing both the intellectual and financial strengths of universities. International Students, especially from some countries like China, may have a harder time coming to or staying in the US under a Trump administration or may have less desire to do so.

On the other hand last June Trump said "What I want to do and what I will do is, you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a Green Card to be able to stay in this country." If that's true that will greatly increase interest among foreign students but I doubt he will carry it out.

Student Loan Forgiveness

Not going to happen Title IX

University Title IX offices get whiplash with each change of administration. Expect Title IX (sex discrimination) protections to be watered down and eliminated for transgender individuals.

Look at Republican States

Trump may try to apply Republican policies at state universities to all universities as a whole: Dismantling DEI efforts, weakening tenure protection, allowing campus carry of guns on campus, and "free speech" policies while limiting what can be taught and cracking down on protests.

Accreditation

Trump and republicans are no fan of accreditation, and Trump has threatened that he will replace accreditors to enforce certain points of view.