Professor Charlie Eaton has published a thought-provoking op-ed in The New York Times titled “$15 Billion Is Enough to Fight a President.” In his piece, Professor Eaton argues that universities with large endowments must step up to defend academic freedom and free speech in the face of increasing pressure from the Trump administration.
Professor Eaton highlights how top universities, such as Columbia, which has an endowment of nearly $15 billion, are in a unique position to resist the administration’s efforts to stifle dissent and suppress diversity programs. He urges university leaders to use their endowments as a safeguard against federal funding cuts and to protect their academic missions, even if it means taking financial risks.
Eaton critiques the trend of university leaders appeasing the administration by restricting free speech and diversity initiatives and calls on the wealthiest universities to unite in defending these values. By tapping into their vast endowments, Eaton argues, these institutions could weather the storm of political pressure and ensure that future generations of students and scholars continue to benefit from the freedoms that are at risk today.
Read the full op-ed in The New York Times.
