A Tale of Apprehension: How Trump's Policies are Shaking Up College Campuses Across the Nation
"Admitted my mistake to companions as events turned out differently than anticipated"
From coast to coast, universities are feeling the heat under the Trump administration. Funding grants are drying up, officials are being axed, and political pressure is mounting on educational institutions. Two graduate students from Germany and the U.S. give us an inside look at how these policies are affecting our colleges.
Vincent Heddesheimer, a doctoral student at Princeton for the past four years, has a notice on his lamppost about what to do if ICE agents show up. At his university, border guards are keeping a close eye on students with Princeton on their visas, and there's a sense of unease among faculty. Rumors are swirling, fears are rising—should students fly home for the holidays or stay put? A lot of uncertainty floats around.
Coco Fitterman, a doctoral student at the City University of New York, shares similar sentiments. For a long time, she brushed off the worries of friends from abroad who hesitated to sign a call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Now, she admits that she was wrong. In early March, Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested and has been detained ever since with a valid residence permit. This is just one of the examples the Trump administration is making waves with.
Trump's Crusade: Brain Drain and Beyond
It's not just international students who are in the crosshairs. Trump's government has frozen billions in research funds, ended contracts, and threatened universities with the loss of tax benefits and the surrender of sensitive information. Harvard students were hit with a temporarily suspended entry ban. Trump demands that universities combat "unlawful discrimination and ideological indoctrination," and take action against anti-Semitism and violence. He uses funding that has nothing to do with his demands as leverage. He cuts funds for cancer research because the university where it's taking place is too liberal for him.
Even some Republicans criticize these individual measures, but his plan to rein in universities enjoys broader support. Many see universities as elitist and dominated by leftist ideologies. Protests against the Gaza conflict were more controversial among the general population than among students. Maybe that's why the Trump government keeps bringing up these demonstrations to justify their attacks on education institutions.
The Unintended Consequences: Struggling Students and Crumbling Institutions
protests were already being suppressed before Trump took office, but now they're being used to exert pressure on universities. Many students are disheartened and exhausted—Fitterman among them. Even still, she continues her work at the graduate college at the City University of New York.
The Language Center where she works is one of the casualties of Trump's policies. Its aim is to improve university education for minorities by researching, developing materials, and training teachers—focusing on foreign languages and disadvantaged learning environments. But the funds for this work run out in August, and the responsible department of the Ministry of Education was already dissolved in March.
Meanwhile, Heddesheimer, despite the ongoing uncertainty at Princeton, feels safe in his bubble. But for students like Fitterman, the effects are more immediate. Most European students continue their studies, planning to return to the U.S. though they're flying over it during these difficult times. But American students like Fitterman have their own battles to wage—and it may not be easy.
- Donald Trump
- Universities
Enrichment Data:
The ongoing effects of Trump's policies on international students and universities in the United States are multifaceted and have significant implications for both groups.
Effects on International Students
- Visa Scrutiny and Delays: There has been heightened scrutiny of international students, particularly those from China and Hong Kong, with new policies involving rigorous social media vetting and enhanced application criteria review[2]. This has led to major delays in visa processing.
- Fear and Uncertainty: International students are fearful about their future due to the aggressive visa revocation policies and enhanced scrutiny, which could impact their ability to stay in the U.S.[2][3].
- Legal Challenges: Many international students are filing lawsuits against the policies, with some already succeeding in challenging the administration’s power to revoke or limit student visas in large numbers[2].
Effects on Universities
- Enrollment Declines: Visa restrictions and travel bans during Trump's first term led to a 12% drop in new international student enrollment[3]. The current policies may exacerbate this trend, affecting universities' financial planning and recruitment efforts abroad[3].
- Loss of Global Talent: The policies are driving international students to consider other destinations for higher education, potentially depriving U.S. colleges of global talent[3]. This comes at a time when U.S. institutions face demographic challenges due to declining birth rates[3].
- Financial and Competitive Impact: The reduction in international students could lead to financial losses for universities and a competitive disadvantage in the global higher education market[3].
- The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive concerning the impact of Trump's policies on education-and-self-development, as universities across the nation are experiencing a decrease in enrollment and global talent due to visa restrictions and travel bans.
- The ongoing political conflict between the Trump administration and universities has gained attention in general-news, with the administration's demand for universities to combat "unlawful discrimination and ideological indoctrination" leading to a suppression of education-and-self-development programs, such as the one at the Language Center at the City University of New York.
