WSJ: Top US universities form private collective to resist Trump administration pressure

Leaders from some of America’s most prestigious universities have quietly formed a private collective to counter the Trump administration’s mounting pressure on higher education, according to sources familiar with the effort.

The informal group, which includes about 10 major institutions — among them Ivy League and top private research universities, mostly in Democratic-leaning states — has been coordinating strategy in response to what they view as unprecedented attacks on academic independence and research funding, Caliber.Az reports, citing The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The initiative gained momentum after the administration issued a sweeping list of demands to Harvard University, which many academic leaders interpreted as an assault on institutional autonomy. The universities are now working behind the scenes to set red lines, with a firm consensus that they will not relinquish control over core areas such as admissions, hiring practices, and academic curricula.

The Trump administration has increasingly used funding freezes and other punitive measures, including threats to universities’ tax-exempt status and the ability to enrol international students, to pressure institutions it accuses of failing to combat antisemitism. University leaders fear that agreeing to such demands would set dangerous precedents for political interference in academia.

While the collective remains largely out of the public eye, it represents a far more coordinated and potentially powerful form of resistance than recent public petitions and statements by academic organisations. "This kind of exchange helps institutions understand the impacts of government actions across campuses and to identify critical non-negotiables," said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education.

The Trump administration is reportedly aware of the emerging alliance and has warned at least one institution against cooperating with others, according to individuals close to the matter.

University leaders involved in the discussions say their long histories — with some institutions established centuries ago — stand in stark contrast to the temporary nature of any single administration. While they remain open to superficial changes to appease the White House, they have pledged not to compromise their operational independence.

The collective’s formation comes as legal battles escalate, with Harvard recently suing the federal government over threatened cuts amounting to $2.26 billion in research funding. The case is seen as a critical test for the future relationship between the federal government and American higher education.

By Vugar Khalilov