By Matthew Jade
Academia People’s Response to Election 2016:
With chances of Hillary Clinton coming in power, college leaders and students had a list of concerns about her policies, but the unexpected victory of Donald Trump have people ‘horrified’ because of his vision. Although Donald Trump’s policy and plans about education have been pretty unclear, just like his other undertakings, but there have been some clues about his mindset in his speeches and supporter’s actions.
Trump’s Past Academic Plan References:
In October, Trump devoted about 10 minutes of his speech to higher education. He said that he intends on ending tax-exempt status for colleges that are not using this advantage to lessen the tuition fees.
“If colleges refuse to take this responsibility seriously, they will be held accountable,” he said.
In the speech, he also promised about cutting tuition fees in colleges that college administrations not taking this action seriously will be held accountable.
Trump has been reported mentioning student loan repayment (income based), saying that college graduates (dropouts apparently) should not be obliged to pay on loans more than they are earning (or can afford). 12.5 percent of debtor’s income should be accounted for repayment of his loan. College leaders are losing their minds over this plan.
Policy director of Trump’s election campaign, Sam Clovis who also taught economics at Morningside College, spoke about Mr. Trump’s plan. He is reported to mention that Trump will somehow guarantee free speech on college grounds but there have been very little details about this which puts it all in a question mark. He also added that Trump’s government will reject any partnership offered on a state-federal level intended in making community colleges free for high school leavers.
And as for the new President’s well-known campaign about banning Muslims from entering the US; it is questioning university leaders throughout the country whom universities were based on International students.
Will Trump do what he says?
Trump’s policy details are very thin on the ground. Grandiloquence of Trump will arguably worry those in academia the most. Trump has said in recent campaign rallies about the swelled administration in US colleges and universities, his exact words being “tremendous bloat”, this means a threat to university administration and employees working there since the president is aiming at removing them because he believes this will raise the university and colleges savings.
Trump condemned institutions for being too politically “correct” and also he pressed a lot on the issue of climate change – which unsurprisingly baffled majority of academia. Trump’s supporters–no matter out-numbered but very active even so–have broken out a series of conflicts in which they are using in-your-face strategies like building a fake wall signifying the one he vowed to build on the Mexican border.
To Conclude…
Nobody really knows how Trump’s administration will be, given how unusual his campaign strategies were and how vague his plans and policies have been in the recent past.
As we discuss his plans here, a number of students on campuses are protesting, many are celebrating. This has been an election that has divided this nation, so on university campuses. The coming years of Trump’s presidency will be significant.