Washington - Saba:
More than 100 American universities and colleges affirmed their rejection on Tuesday of the interference by former President Donald Trump's administration in higher education affairs, describing it as "unjustified political meddling."
In a joint statement, the American Association of Colleges and Universities declared its opposition to the Trump administration's use of government funding and taxation as tools to pressure leading universities.
Among the signatories of the statement were presidents of prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, and Brown, who emphasized their refusal of any political interference threatening the independence of educational institutions.
The statement clarified that the goal is not to oppose legitimate oversight or necessary reforms but to confront threats undermining the core principles of academic freedom.
Statement emphasizes importance of protecting free speech and diverse views on campus,
rejects censorship or threats of expulsion.
The statement stressed the importance of safeguarding freedom of expression and diversity of opinions within university campuses, rejecting any attempts at censorship or threats of expulsion or restrictions.
The statement comes amid the Trump administration's escalation in using funding cuts and investigations as a means to pressure universities to suppress pro-Palestine student activism.
The federal administration has threatened to freeze funding and revoke tax exemptions for several universities, including Harvard, due to pro-Palestine student protests on campus.
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