"Standing Firm Against the Tide" - Professor Believes Harvard Can Outlast Trump's Onslaught
University academic believes Harvard is prepared for a protracted legal battle with President Trump
In the face of a looming legal tussle with the Trump administration, Harvard University academic Ryan Enos holds a firm belief that the esteemed institution has the resources to withstand the storm. In a candid interview with the German publication "Der Spiegel", Enos, the director of the Center for American Political Studies, stated, "We've got this, we can hold our ground for quite some time." He added that the university boasts substantial reserves and has recently experienced a generous inflow of donations from affluent alumni, further fortifying its position.
At the heart of the controversy is the Trump administration's ambition to strip Harvard of its entire federal research funding, amounting to over $3 billion. Enos is one of the brains behind Harvard's defiance against the Trump administration. In a joint endeavor with his colleague, Steven Levitsky, he petitioned the university leadership to safeguard its autonomy from government interference. The initiative garnered the support of over 800 faculty members at Harvard.
Harvard, symbolizing resistance in the U.S., finds itself in the crosshairs of Trump's aggressive approach, as Enos puts it, "Trump sees us as the lighthouse of resistance, and he wants to break this resistance." Enos underlines the crucial importance of Harvard, not just for academic reasons, but for upholding the ideals of democracy, stating, "It's about our democracy. Now, more than ever, we need other universities, social groups, and institutions to join us in resisting Trump."
Bavarian Refuge for International Students
It was recently reported that the Trump administration plans to prohibit international students from attending Harvard. Although a temporary court ruling temporarily lifted the ban, Enos anticipates a decrease in the number of international students due to uncertainty and potential fears of arrest. He elaborates, "Some will leave Harvard voluntarily out of fear. Others might hesitate to come here because they're unsure if they'll be allowed entry. And applicants already in the U.S. might be deterred from applying due to visa complications."
In response to this predicament, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder has offered an exile campus in Germany to welcome international students displaced by the U.S. administration's actions. Speaking in an early morning interview with RTL and ntv, Söder expressed his willingness to support these students, stating, "My message to them is: Please, consider coming to Germany, ideally to Bavaria." He expressed his dismay at Trump's decision to deny these students access and vowed immediate action, saying, "I'm offering Bavaria as an exile campus for Harvard students – we'll make it happen straight away."
While there is little detailed information available about Söder's proposal for an exile campus in Bavaria, it represents an encouraging gesture of solidarity and academic camaraderie in the face of the challenging political climate.
- Harvard University
- Donald Trump
- Bavaria
- International Students
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation, especially in the academic sector, considering the recent strife between Harvard University and the Trump administration. This initiative seeks to ensure the safety of educators like Ryan Enos, who has been at the forefront of defending Harvard's autonomy, and international students who may be displaced as a result of political tussles, as seen in the Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder's offer of an exile campus for such students.
