Thank you for your comments. I originally saw the statement in the Free Press and commented on it based on my friendship with professors and my experience representing them and working in the educational field for 40 years. I think Christopher Russo and the signatories understand the crisis in American education, which extends from K-12 on up very well and are in a good position to address the issues, including those presented in the Ivy League and similarly intellectually captured non-Ivy League colleges. I am confident that they will address the crisis that led to UATX in an even-handed and firm manner.
Crafting appropriate standards and rules will be difficult and implementation and enforcement of the academic, free speech, tolerance, anti-hazing and other applicable standards and rules will likely be even harder. There will likely be lots of pushback, complaints, and academic and non-academic dithering as the old guard seeks to hold on to the authority, power and influence it has amassed over the course of decades. But the effort must begin and proceed in accordance with the Statement. Hats off to their efforts. Let UATX be a beacon, as it already is, of educational excellence.
I lean left, but I agree with the claim that "[Universities] have engaged in a long train of abuses, evasions, and usurpations which, with every turn of the ratchet, have moved our society toward a new kind of tyranny — one in which ideology determines truth, and the university functions as a political agent of the left.” On the other hand, I do not think that our boorish, crude, intellectually-deficient, habitually lying President is the person to draft a contract with universities.
Better suited or not, I cannot think of any Democrats who would want to draft such a contract with universities. Why would they, given that the universities are promoting their political interests? God, how I abhor both major political parties.
Many formerly great universities in the U.S. have become a joke. Unbelievable how they've transformed in just a few short years, coinciding with the retirement of the World War Two generation of professors.
To be completely honest, the Manhattan Statement on Higher Education, which was signed by a mere 45 people, some of whom have dubious educational credentials, is pure shit. It's not well written, it's inflammatory, but most importantly, it peddles in unsubstantiated generalities. The second worst part about it is that, as John Johnson argues below, it is a blatant expression of support for a president who is an outspoken enemy of truth and knowledge; it is a kind of pandering that is all too common in the MAGA group. And if the new president of the University of Austin were truly "truth-seeking" as he ostentatiously claims to be, he wouldn't make the following unsubstantiated claims:
1. "Universities have replaced truth-seeking with ideological activism." Which universities? All of them? In every field? This hardly seems possible. It can't be statistically valid, and Carvalho should know that.
2. "Academic rigor is almost nonexistent." This generalization is pathetically wrong and embarrassing for a university president to make. It's even more embarrassing for a statistician.
3. "Equality under the law has been corrupted by DEI bureaucrats." Another hopelessly vague generalization.
4. "Students, rather than learning to become citizens, are too often trained to see their country and civilization as beyond redemption." "Too often"? How does criticism equate to seeing one's country as being "beyond redemption"? Is there any data to back this up?
This is baseless, partisan belief barely masquerading as facts. It doesn't evince even a shred of critical thinking that the president and the University of Austin claim to be their "North Star."
Finally, what exactly is the photo at the top of this email, taken from a "Protest at UT Austin" supposed to demonstrate? Can't political protests be consistent with free speech? A picture may be worth a thousand words, but this one only works through innuendo and insinuation.
I like UATX in principle, but I worry that they're losing the plot.
Diversity of thought is critical to universities' missions and unfortunately it's missing from many of our humanities departments. UATX should push back on that, universities should push back on that. Freedom of speech should apply to everyone, certainly including those on the right wing, and universities should stand up for that free speech (as they often do).
But UATX seems to be allying itself with an administration that is trying to destroy higher education (including its scientific enterprise, which is the biggest part of what we do) with blatantly illiberal excuses. It wants to shut down most of the Ivies, ostensibly for allowing protests against Israel ongoing war crimes in Gaza – but protecting the right to protest is absolutely critical to free speech. Meanwhile, its excuse for going after UPenn is that it allowed a trans swimmer to compete, which was simply a matter of following NCAA guidelines at the time. If you want to change those guidelines, fine, but it's no excuse for trying to crush the scientific enterprise. And that's what pulling research funding does: It funds graduate research assistants and postdoctoral fellows, not protestors or trans swimmers.
FIRE has principles: It stands up for free speech on campus, regardless of who is attempting to suppress free speech. And that's why I'll continue supporting them in the crucial mission that they have proven be willing to fight for. Does UATX have principles? Or is it just a new foot soldier in Trump and Christopher Rufo's war on higher education?
If UATX has any principles, it should show them, and soon.
Oh piss feathers! Nothing will satisfy you and your leftist , communist minions.
You are the very reason "higher education" is an oxymoron. President Trump isn't doing anything but making our Universities finally accountable to the people they serve. Suddenly the alums are also looking much harder at the huge funds they are providing, all over the US. I applaud both UATX and TAMU for standing Tall for the morality and social values so missing for all too many years!
While I don't think the "Manhattan Statement" goes nearly far enough to actual 'repair' - it IS a strong start!
How do you get adults to 'lean Left' ? You tell children the old Marxist lie that you have to be Left, you have to be on the side of the good. And here 'lies' the crux of the matter.
The Manhattan Statement doesn't go far enough. We need a complete separation of education and state, for the same reasons we have espoused the separation of church and state. That means: no funding of schools by the government at any level. Schools that provide value will survive and flourish.
My field of expertise is the history of the ideas that informed the Declaration of Independence. In graduate school, I stumbled across smoking-gun proof -- the 1776 congressional definition of happiness -- that the Declaration is NOT rooted in the ideas of John Locke. (In a nutshell, happiness is the byproduct of being habitually good to others.) Americans have been robbed of our heritage, with Harvard's Bernard Bailyn the principal thief, followed by Michael Zuckert. My research has been suppressed, but part of it is available here:
Well, were it implemented, this would certainly slip higher ed a Rufo. I’d revise some language, sure, but I agree with the principles. To those who have said here that they object to it because it’s simpatico with President Trump, wouldn’t you agree that holding universities to account in this way is a better approach, than, say, attempting it under the banner of fighting antisemitism? As long as the contract isn’t a Trojan horse for a right-wing orthodoxy, I think this kind of contract would be a healthy and necessary corrective to the results of the unchecked autonomy schools have had for so long.
God speed UATX. May the old Ivy League pay close attention and learn from this splendid new University.
Thank you for your comments. I originally saw the statement in the Free Press and commented on it based on my friendship with professors and my experience representing them and working in the educational field for 40 years. I think Christopher Russo and the signatories understand the crisis in American education, which extends from K-12 on up very well and are in a good position to address the issues, including those presented in the Ivy League and similarly intellectually captured non-Ivy League colleges. I am confident that they will address the crisis that led to UATX in an even-handed and firm manner.
Crafting appropriate standards and rules will be difficult and implementation and enforcement of the academic, free speech, tolerance, anti-hazing and other applicable standards and rules will likely be even harder. There will likely be lots of pushback, complaints, and academic and non-academic dithering as the old guard seeks to hold on to the authority, power and influence it has amassed over the course of decades. But the effort must begin and proceed in accordance with the Statement. Hats off to their efforts. Let UATX be a beacon, as it already is, of educational excellence.
I lean left, but I agree with the claim that "[Universities] have engaged in a long train of abuses, evasions, and usurpations which, with every turn of the ratchet, have moved our society toward a new kind of tyranny — one in which ideology determines truth, and the university functions as a political agent of the left.” On the other hand, I do not think that our boorish, crude, intellectually-deficient, habitually lying President is the person to draft a contract with universities.
Perhaps not, but I cannot think of one Democrat 'leader' who would be any better suited.
Better suited or not, I cannot think of any Democrats who would want to draft such a contract with universities. Why would they, given that the universities are promoting their political interests? God, how I abhor both major political parties.
Many formerly great universities in the U.S. have become a joke. Unbelievable how they've transformed in just a few short years, coinciding with the retirement of the World War Two generation of professors.
To be completely honest, the Manhattan Statement on Higher Education, which was signed by a mere 45 people, some of whom have dubious educational credentials, is pure shit. It's not well written, it's inflammatory, but most importantly, it peddles in unsubstantiated generalities. The second worst part about it is that, as John Johnson argues below, it is a blatant expression of support for a president who is an outspoken enemy of truth and knowledge; it is a kind of pandering that is all too common in the MAGA group. And if the new president of the University of Austin were truly "truth-seeking" as he ostentatiously claims to be, he wouldn't make the following unsubstantiated claims:
1. "Universities have replaced truth-seeking with ideological activism." Which universities? All of them? In every field? This hardly seems possible. It can't be statistically valid, and Carvalho should know that.
2. "Academic rigor is almost nonexistent." This generalization is pathetically wrong and embarrassing for a university president to make. It's even more embarrassing for a statistician.
3. "Equality under the law has been corrupted by DEI bureaucrats." Another hopelessly vague generalization.
4. "Students, rather than learning to become citizens, are too often trained to see their country and civilization as beyond redemption." "Too often"? How does criticism equate to seeing one's country as being "beyond redemption"? Is there any data to back this up?
This is baseless, partisan belief barely masquerading as facts. It doesn't evince even a shred of critical thinking that the president and the University of Austin claim to be their "North Star."
Finally, what exactly is the photo at the top of this email, taken from a "Protest at UT Austin" supposed to demonstrate? Can't political protests be consistent with free speech? A picture may be worth a thousand words, but this one only works through innuendo and insinuation.
I like UATX in principle, but I worry that they're losing the plot.
Diversity of thought is critical to universities' missions and unfortunately it's missing from many of our humanities departments. UATX should push back on that, universities should push back on that. Freedom of speech should apply to everyone, certainly including those on the right wing, and universities should stand up for that free speech (as they often do).
But UATX seems to be allying itself with an administration that is trying to destroy higher education (including its scientific enterprise, which is the biggest part of what we do) with blatantly illiberal excuses. It wants to shut down most of the Ivies, ostensibly for allowing protests against Israel ongoing war crimes in Gaza – but protecting the right to protest is absolutely critical to free speech. Meanwhile, its excuse for going after UPenn is that it allowed a trans swimmer to compete, which was simply a matter of following NCAA guidelines at the time. If you want to change those guidelines, fine, but it's no excuse for trying to crush the scientific enterprise. And that's what pulling research funding does: It funds graduate research assistants and postdoctoral fellows, not protestors or trans swimmers.
FIRE has principles: It stands up for free speech on campus, regardless of who is attempting to suppress free speech. And that's why I'll continue supporting them in the crucial mission that they have proven be willing to fight for. Does UATX have principles? Or is it just a new foot soldier in Trump and Christopher Rufo's war on higher education?
If UATX has any principles, it should show them, and soon.
Oh piss feathers! Nothing will satisfy you and your leftist , communist minions.
You are the very reason "higher education" is an oxymoron. President Trump isn't doing anything but making our Universities finally accountable to the people they serve. Suddenly the alums are also looking much harder at the huge funds they are providing, all over the US. I applaud both UATX and TAMU for standing Tall for the morality and social values so missing for all too many years!
While I don't think the "Manhattan Statement" goes nearly far enough to actual 'repair' - it IS a strong start!
There have been far, far more examples of universities suppressing free speech - *especially* speech from the right - than standing up for it.
How do you get adults to 'lean Left' ? You tell children the old Marxist lie that you have to be Left, you have to be on the side of the good. And here 'lies' the crux of the matter.
The Manhattan Statement doesn't go far enough. We need a complete separation of education and state, for the same reasons we have espoused the separation of church and state. That means: no funding of schools by the government at any level. Schools that provide value will survive and flourish.
lol cope loser, your ideology is dogwater
https://substack.com/@emilyalexandraguglielmo/note/c-143774845?r=2mtps5&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
My field of expertise is the history of the ideas that informed the Declaration of Independence. In graduate school, I stumbled across smoking-gun proof -- the 1776 congressional definition of happiness -- that the Declaration is NOT rooted in the ideas of John Locke. (In a nutshell, happiness is the byproduct of being habitually good to others.) Americans have been robbed of our heritage, with Harvard's Bernard Bailyn the principal thief, followed by Michael Zuckert. My research has been suppressed, but part of it is available here:
https://www.academia.edu/29164747/The_Declaration_of_Independence_without_Locke_A_Rebuttal_of_Michael_Zuckerts_Natural_Rights_Republic_
Well, were it implemented, this would certainly slip higher ed a Rufo. I’d revise some language, sure, but I agree with the principles. To those who have said here that they object to it because it’s simpatico with President Trump, wouldn’t you agree that holding universities to account in this way is a better approach, than, say, attempting it under the banner of fighting antisemitism? As long as the contract isn’t a Trojan horse for a right-wing orthodoxy, I think this kind of contract would be a healthy and necessary corrective to the results of the unchecked autonomy schools have had for so long.