#higher-education-funding

#higher-education-funding

Gov. Newsom is acting like an extortionist. His threat to withhold university funding unless schools publicly oppose President Trump's demands is political coercion. Public universities should not be strong-armed into adopting the governor's preferred positions. Their mission is education and open inquiry, not serving as instruments of partisan pressure. What makes this especially troubling is the hypocrisy. Newsom built his political brand by criticizing Trump for using federal funds as a political weapon.

"Our 'why' is simple: to level the playing field in West Virginia and Appalachia," the Smiths said in a statement. "We hope this gift ensures that every student with the dream of an advanced degree has the opportunity and support to achieve it-while also showing what's possible for the future of higher education in our region and beyond."

University budgets across the country are broken. Overall revenue and accumulated financial support appear to be declining for a wide variety of reasons. New funding policies, administrative reorganizations such as those at the Department of Education, lean fiscal times for states, diminished regard for higher learning, fewer requirements for degrees among employers hiring for entry-level positions and the impact of artificial intelligence all come together to reduce the pool of new students, tuition revenues and grants.

Stanford would face a tax increase from $17 million to $248 million annually under the proposed tax bill, threatening financial aid and employee support.