Pay Attention to ‘The Manhattan Statement’

Earlier this month, the Manhattan Institute released a statement with a proposed “new contract” for higher education and called on President Trump to write the terms of that contract into “every grant, payment, loan, eligibility, and accreditation” and then revoke federal funding for colleges and universities if they aren’t following them. To maintain public funding, universities would, for example, have to “advance truth over ideology,” “cease their direct participation in social and political activism,” and “adhere to the principle of colorblind equality, by abolishing DEI bureaucracies, disbanding racially segregated programs, and terminating race-based discrimination in admissions, hiring, promotions, and contracting.”

What Colleges and Universities Should Take Away from What Happened at UVA

What happened to the President of UVA is devastating.  And we have let ourselves believe it is surprising.  But, while it should be shocking that the federal government – one that has been repeatedly talking about the return of education to the states – is interfering with the administration of a public university, it should have been expected if you were paying attention.

The House Antisemitism Staff Report is a Scare Tactic not a Solution for Student Success

Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives issued a Staff Report on Antisemitism with what they called “alarming findings.”  The report targets its criticism at both Amanda Fuchs Miller“prominent American universities” and what it says was the “failure of our federal government departments and agencies.”  There is no question that colleges and universities did not all do the right thing after the October 7th terrorism attack on Israel to protect their campuses from antisemitism and to keep all their students, including Jewish students, safe. These were not easy times and colleges and universities could have done better. And our students deserve that.

American University’s Women and Politics Institute - Gender on the Ballot

Intentionality and a Whole of Government Approach are Key to Ensuring Federal Policies Protect and Promote Gender Equity and Equality

In March of 2021, on International Women’s Day, President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) creating the Gender Policy Council (GPC) and instilling a whole of government approach to gender equity and equality. The GPC was comprised of President Biden’s Cabinet members, and the EO directed each agency to assign a senior official to coordinate with GPC and oversee their agency’s efforts to protect the rights of, and promote opportunities for, girls and women. I was honored to have the opportunity to serve as the senior designee to the Gender Policy Council for the U.S. Department of Education.