Some college students struggle with body image, negatively impacting their academic performance and physical wellness.
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Food and campus dining are important elements of the college experience for many students, whether that’s grabbing a quick coffee on the way to an 8 a.m. class or sharing a meal with friends at the end of a long day. Some learners, however, experience challenges with their eating habits due to negative body image or disordered thinking about food, which can be detrimental to their physical and mental health.
Colleges and universities can create greater awareness for students and staff by supplying resources for physical health and wellness to support student well-being and thriving.
What’s the need: Students with poor body image may feel ashamed, anxious or awkward, which could result in a lack of engagement in social events or classes, or unhealthy dieting and exercise behaviors, according to a study from the University of Alabama.
Social media can increase students’ exposure to negative body images, which can damage mental and physical health. And students who experience food insecurity are more likely to report disordered eating habits.
Campus Dining and Disordered Eating
Addressing harmful eating habits can take place in the classroom or in the dining hall. Some colleges and universities, such as Northwestern University, have made strides to improve the student experience when utilizing campus food services by removing calorie counts next to food items. Read more here.
Healthy body image can also be tied to student retention and graduation. A 2023 survey by United Healthcare Services found that college students who have experienced an eating disorder are more likely to have doubts about graduating on time (81 percent), compared to their peers who didn’t report an eating disorder (19 percent).
While women are more likely to experience negative body perceptions, men also experience disordered eating. Male student athletes, in particular, experience higher rates of eating disorders than their nonathlete peers but are less likely than their female peers to receive support for disordered eating.
Campuswide interventions: Disseminating information across campus can be one way to reach students who may be unaware of offerings or unable to identify their own harmful habits.
Illinois State University hosts the Body Project, the Body Project: More Than Muscles and the Female Athlete Body Project in collaboration with Student Counseling Services, Health Promotion and Wellness, and the Department of Psychology. The Body Project, a peer-led intervention, addresses female students’ sense of body image, and More Than Muscles supports male-identified learners with a chance to consider how culture and media define the ideal male body. Similarly, the Female Athlete Body Project supports women participating in collegiate athletics and their unique challenges with body image.
Louisiana State University hosted an event, “Trash Your Insecurities,” which invited students to write down their biggest insecurity and literally throw it in a trash can. Students could then write down what they’re most proud of themselves for, helping promote a better sense of self and positive self-talk. The event helped increase awareness of eating disorders and body image concerns as well as campus resources for these challenges.
The University of Nevada, Reno, hosts a support group, Nourish and Flourish, that encourages students to bring food to an informal setting to discuss concerns. Group counseling sessions can provide a place of community and support for students struggling with disordered eating or negative body image.
Working with students: As an individual faculty or staff member, practitioners can encourage positive body image with a student by:
Encouraging them to unfollow social media accounts or influencers who trigger negative body image thoughts or feelings. Research from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, shows that engaging with positive content can improve body image over several weeks. At the same time, exposure to fitness-oriented social media posts can harm women’s self-perceptions, according to researchers from Davidson College.
When giving compliments, focusing on a student’s performance or personality, as opposed to appearances, can be helpful, according to recommendations from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Avoiding use of negative body talk or dieting in the classroom or office, which can encourage students to do the same. Sometimes people engage in negative self-talk without even realizing it, so being self-accepting and self-compassionate can promote positive change.
Encouraging students to take care of themselves through adequate sleep or regular eating. For colleges that have nutrition services, staff can refer students to experts who can provide healthy eating advice.
Do you have a wellness intervention that might help others promote student success? Tell us about it.
New College of Florida could soon expand its footprint in a significant way if plans to absorb a nearby museum and local branch campus of the University of South Florida come to fruition.
Current proposals would see New College taking over stewardship of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota and other associated properties and merging with USF Sarasota–Manatee. Such moves would nearly double New College’s acreage and triple its enrollment at a time when critics have raised questions about spending at NCF, where the cost to Florida taxpayers per student is roughly 10 times higher than any other institution in the State University System.
The proposed expansion would continue efforts to grow NCF after state leadership tasked a new board in 2022 with shifting the small liberal arts college in a conservative direction and growing its student body, which the administration has so far aimed to do by adding athletic programs.
But critics have raised concerns about a lack of transparency around both potential acquisitions and whether New College has the capacity to manage another campus and a sprawling art museum.
A Contested Acquisition
New College officials have quietly been preparing for a merger with USF Sarasota–Manatee for at least several months, according to public records obtained by WUSF, the local NPR affiliate.
A WUSF public records request turned up a draft press release from New College announcing the merger between the two institutions as well as talking points and details on the transition.
Details in the documents make the deal sound more like an acquisition than a merger.
Students will have the option to transfer to another USF campus “or remain at New College,” according to the documents. Under the proposed plan, USF Sarasota–Manatee employees would possibly be reassigned to other USF campuses or “to comparable roles” at New College.
University of South Florida Sarasota–Manatee main building.
Alaska Miller/Wikimedia Commons
Although it appears that New College would absorb USF Sarasota–Manatee in the merger, New College is the much smaller of the two institutions. In fall 2023, it enrolled 731 students compared to more than 2,000 at USF Sarasota–Manatee, according to details on the university website.
“As we reimagine the future of higher education in Florida, this integration is a testament to the power of collaboration,” New College of Florida president Richard Corcoran said in the news release obtained by WUSF. “Governor [Ron] Desantis [sic] has shown exceptional leadership in enabling this bold vision, one that positions New College to advance as a model of academic excellence while fostering economic innovation and impact in the Sarasota-Manatee region.”
The news release adds, “This collaboration is more than a merger,” casting it as “an opportunity to design a singular institution that meets the demands of the 21st century” and allows USF to focus on its mission as a research university and NCF to become the nation’s top liberal arts college.
“The integration also addresses longstanding inefficiencies, consolidating administrative functions and aligning academic offerings. USF-SM’s programs often overlap with those offered by other public higher education institutions in Sarasota and Manatee counties, including New College and State College of Florida,” part of the draft press release from New College reads.
New College officials did not respond to requests for comment from Inside Higher Ed.
USF president Rhea Law is also quoted in the draft press release, stating that “by coming together, we honor the distinct institution while creating a stronger foundation for the future of both institutions and our communities.”
But USF officials have distanced themselves from the announcement since it emerged publicly.
“Please be aware that the documents are several months old and include a draft press release and talking points that were prepared by New College. USF did not approve the proposal or communications drafted by New College. There have been no plans made to make any such announcement,” USF spokesperson Althea Johnson wrote to Inside Higher Ed by email.
However, Johnson noted that the two institutions have engaged in talks since last fall, when Florida Board of Governors chair Brian Lamb asked them to “identify additional synergies.”
Asked if NCF invented quotes attributed to Law and other USF officials, Johnson reiterated, “USF did not draft or approve of the communications. They were prepared by New College.”
Community members have also opposed the move. Last week more than a dozen former USF Sarasota–Manatee officials and community partners signed on to an open letter against the merger, calling the move “a bad deal for our students and families, employers and community.” They wrote, “There has been no community consultation on the impacts” of the proposal.
The merger proposal would require legislative approval. Although no bill has been filed, Republican state senator Joe Gruters—whose wife works at NCF—has thrown support behind the idea in interviews. Gruters did not respond to a request for comment from Inside Higher Ed.
Expanding Into the Arts
While NCF quietly planned to absorb USF Sarasota–Manatee, an effort to take stewardship of the Ringling Museum, currently administered by Florida State University, was also underway.
Visitors view paintings in the Ringling Museum of Art’s Peter Paul Rubens room.
When DeSantis unveiled his state budget plans in February, many observers were shocked to see a proposal for New College to take over the Ringling art museum and affiliated properties, which includes a former home of the namesake founder, and the Ringling Museum of the Circus.
Florida State has had stewardship of the Ringling properties since 2000. FSU’s responsibilities include managing the Ringling’s endowment and employing the staff that operate the facilities, which does everything from curate collections to provide security and other functions. One recent report counted 229 employees on the FSU payroll at the Ringling.
Many museum supporters are appalled at the idea of a New College takeover, including Nancy Parrish, a former member of its board and president of the nascent Citizens to Protect the Ringling. She argues FSU has transformed the Ringling from a property that had fallen into disrepair when it took over stewardship in 2000 to a thriving institution with annual surpluses. Parrish worries that NCF is incapable of taking on the same role and would upend that progress.
“New College is in a costly, complicated, precarious transition. How can it possibly manage an institution larger than itself? And an institution as complicated as a museum was never in its business plan. It’s outrageous government overreach and an outrageous waste of taxpayer money, because it would take millions to replace what FSU provides the museum,” Parrish said.
The timeline for the proposed transition from FSU to NCF by Aug. 1 is also rushed, she argues.
Amid the uncertainty over the Ringling’s future, she said that “donors are fleeing in panic.”
Details on how NCF would take over the operations are not laid out in the DeSantis proposal, and NCF officials did not fulfill a public records request about the transition prior to publication.
“This transition is not only sensible; it is a collective win. It is a win for Sarasota, reinforcing its reputation as a global leader in the arts and higher education; boosting tourism, cultural engagement and economic growth—all while preserving a historical gem,” Corcoran wrote.
He added that NCF stewardship would both expand “research partnerships, student engagement and statewide academic initiatives in the arts and humanities” and provide “an infusion of resources” to allow it “to elevate its world-class exhibitions, research and outreach.”
FSU did not respond to requests for comment from Inside Higher Ed.
The Financial Picture
New College’s potential expansion comes as it has grown in other ways since DeSantis appointed a conservative board that tapped Corcoran, a former GOP lawmaker, as president.
Since 2022, NCF has added six intercollegiate teams and plans to field 24 altogether by 2028. Beyond the inaugural programs in sports such as basketball, baseball and soccer, New College plans to expand to tennis, golf, bass fishing and various other athletic pursuits. NCF is investing in developing its athletic facilities in addition to paying for coaches and athletic scholarships.
New College’s strategic transformation has come with a substantial price tag for taxpayers. The state has already infused New College with millions of dollars since the change in leadership. And NCF’s leaders want more state money—at least $200 million over the next decade.
But that spending has prompted some pushback from the DeSantis-appointed Florida Board of Governors, which oversees New College and other members of the State University System.
FLBOG member Eric Silagy has challenged Corcoran at times on financial transparency and the high cost per student, calculating that NCF spent $91,000 per student in the 2023–24 academic year. The system average is $10,000, Silagy said at a September board meeting.
Corcoran initially disputed that number, arguing it was $68,000 per head.
But at a January meeting, Silagy said he had spoken with Corcoran, who now agreed that figure was between $88,000 and $91,000 per student, a figure Silagy said continues to climb. He projects that NCF could soon spend between $114,000 and $140,000 for each student.
Concerns about fiscal management also prompted a shake-up at the New College Alumni Association last month, when then-director Ben Brown resigned in protest because of “a deteriorating institutional relationship” between the college and alumni, and concerns that Corcoran had squandered funds. Brown also wanted more transparency.
Brown told Inside Higher Ed he is concerned about the state giving Corcoran more power.
“There’s no ingrained alumni opposition to the idea of being part of USF or doing things jointly with USF, but the current alumni sentiment is very clear that for this administration, operating the way it is, to take responsibility for part of USF is dangerous to the state and to the taxpayers,” Brown said.
Title: College Prices Are Falling for Everyone (Almost)
Source: Brookings Institution
Author: Phillip Levine
New research from the Brookings Institution reveals a surprising truth: inflation-adjusted college prices have fallen for most students over the past five years. Phillip Levine’s analysis examines what students actually pay—the net price after financial aid—rather than the sticker prices that dominate media coverage.
Using data from net price calculators at 200 institutions and proprietary financial aid records from 14 highly endowed colleges, his findings challenge the common narrative:
Widespread price decreases: Between 2019-20 and 2024-25, inflation-adjusted net prices declined across institution types. Public flagship universities saw reductions of 7.1-17.3 percent, depending on family income level, while other public institutions experienced decreases of 8.5-13.2 percent. Private colleges with very large endowments had substantial declines, ranging from 7.0-43.4 percent, and tuition-dependent private colleges saw net prices drop by 16.8-23.3 percent.
Lower-income students benefit most: Families earning $40,000 annually, representing the 25th percentile of the income distribution, experienced the largest reductions, with net prices dropping by 13.2-40.9 percent depending on institution type.
Wide price variation by income: At private institutions with very large endowments, students from families earning $40,000 pay approximately $4,400 annually, while those from families earning $240,000 pay $82,800 annually.
At many institutions, families earning $40,000 are still expected to contribute $15,000-$20,000 annually. Only the most heavily endowed institutions typically offer aid packages that lower-income families can reasonably manage. This raises important policy implications: proposed increases to endowment taxes may undermine institutions’ ability to provide generous financial aid, potentially harming the very students who benefit most from their pricing models. Private colleges and universities rely heavily on endowments to fund scholarships, research, and education—often more than they rely on tuition revenue. Treating endowments like business profits could shift the financial burden onto students and weaken U.S. innovation.
The complexity of college pricing creates uncertainty for families, policymakers, and media. Greater transparency about the true cost of attendance is essential. By focusing on actual prices rather than headline-grabbing sticker prices, we can help reshape the national conversation on college affordability and ensure that misconceptions don’t deter qualified students from pursuing higher education.
To read the full Brookings research analysis, click here.
—Alex Zhao
If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, please contact us.
Starting a college project is fascinating; nevertheless, maintaining profitability is quite another matter. Many college businesses find it difficult to maintain revenue growth between increasing running expenses, administrative inefficiencies, and erratic cash flow. Actually, cash flow issues cause 82% of small firms to fail; education startups are not an exception.
The fix? smarter, data-based ideas for college recurrent income. Supported by actual data, let’s explore five tested strategies to make your college startup a revenue-generating machine.
Five Data-Based Strategies for College Recurring Revenue to Increase Profits
1. Automate Fee Collection: Save Up to 30% of Costs
Unbelievably, mistakes in manual fee processing could cost organizations up to 25% of their whole income. Automating your fee collecting guarantees faster payments, less billing errors, and simplifies the process. Studies reveal that companies implementing automation cut their running expenses by thirty percent; consider what that could mean for the financial situation of your college.
Using a cloud-based fee management solution can help you to automatically handle receipts, cut manual invoicing, and send quick payment reminders.
2. Strengthener student relationships – boost enrollment by eighteen percent
Automate Fee Collection: Save Up to 30% of Costs
Unbelievably, mistakes in manual fee processing could cost organizations up to 25% of their whole income. Automating your fee collecting guarantees faster payments, less billing errors, and simplifies the process. Studies reveal that companies implementing automation cut their running expenses by thirty percent; consider what that could mean for the financial situation of your college.
Using a cloud-based fee management solution can help you to automatically handle receipts, cut manual invoicing, and send quick payment reminders.
3. Smart Reminders & Communication — 45% Less Late Payments
Weary of hunting payments? When institutions deliver timely SMS, email, and push notifications, a shockingly 45% of late fees are paid within a week. Automated reminders guarantee parents and students never miss a deadline, therefore reducing late payments and improving cash flow.
To expedite collections and save administrative expense, schedule automated reminders for due dates, past-due penalties, and payment acknowledgements.
4. Control Your Spending Track About sixty percent of operational expenses
Unchecked expenses cause colleges to bleed money; but, systematic expense tracking helps to control 60% of operational costs. Institutions can recognize early overspending, maximize resource allocation, and increase profitability by real-time cost capture and manual expenditure entry elimination.
Use cost control tools to oversee vendor payments, check program budgets, and guarantee every dollar counts.
5. Improve Real-Time Data Insights to Increase Revenue 20%
Think about predicting financial constraints. Data analytics boosts revenue by 20% for institutions tracking revenue, costs, and student performance. Late payments, course profitability, and untapped income potential are visible in real time dashboards.
With a real-time performance metrics dashboard, track cash flow, find income trends, and improve financial agility.
Ready to Turn Your College Startup into a Revenue Powerhouse?
The path to a sustainable, recurring revenue model isn’t about working harder — it’s about working smarter. By embracing automation, student relationship management, expense control, and data-driven decision-making, your college startup can maximize revenue, minimize costs, and scale faster than ever.
Ready to future-proof your revenue strategy? Let Creatrix Campus help you build a smarter, more profitable institution — starting today.
This post on CTE and career readiness originally appeared on iCEV’s blog, and is republished here with permission.
For students to be truly prepared for their futures, they need academic knowledge, technical expertise, and workforce skills that translate directly into the workplace. As a career and technical education (CTE) instructor, I see firsthand how career-focused education provides students with the tools to transition smoothly from high school to college and careers.
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In recent years, the rise of AI technologies and the increasing pressures placed on students have made academic dishonesty a growing concern. Students, especially in the middle and high school years, have more opportunities than ever to cheat using AI tools.
As technology trainers, we support teachers’ and administrators’ technology platform needs, training, and support in our district. We do in-class demos and share as much as we can with them, and we also send out a weekly newsletter.
Math is a fundamental part of K-12 education, but students often face significant challenges in mastering increasingly challenging math concepts.
Throughout my education, I have always been frustrated by busy work–the kind of homework that felt like an obligatory exercise rather than a meaningful learning experience.
During the pandemic, thousands of school systems used emergency relief aid to buy laptops, Chromebooks, and other digital devices for students to use in remote learning.
Education today looks dramatically different from classrooms of just a decade ago. Interactive technologies and multimedia tools now replace traditional textbooks and lectures, creating more dynamic and engaging learning environments.
There is significant evidence of the connection between physical movement and learning. Some colleges and universities encourage using standing or treadmill desks while studying, as well as taking breaks to exercise.
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. In recent weeks, we’ve seen federal and state governments issue stop-work orders, withdraw contracts, and terminate…
English/language arts and science teachers were almost twice as likely to say they use AI tools compared to math teachers or elementary teachers of all subjects, according to a February 2025 survey from the RAND Corporation.
Seattle, Wash.– As thousands of university students graduate each year, many find themselves facing an unexpected challenge: career uncertainty. Despite earning degrees, a large portion of graduates report feeling unprepared to enter the workforce. Post-college career expert Laurie Nilo-Klug is tackling this issue head-on, providing students with the tools they need to build confidence and thrive in their careers.
Ms. Nilo-Klug, an Adjunct Professor at Seattle University and the founder of Post College Journey, has dedicated her work to helping students transition from college to the professional world. Through her programs, Laurie has empowered students to take control of their career paths, addressing common issues such as imposter syndrome, skill uncertainty, and job market navigation.
After implementing her career confidence-building tools in the classroom, Laurie observed a remarkable 60% increase in student confidence levels. “Many students leave college with impressive degrees but lack the self-assurance to effectively launch their careers.
My goal is to bridge that gap with actionable strategies that instill confidence and competence,” says Laurie. Laurie explains, “In a recent assignment, I had students choose two career exploration activities, and their selections revealed a strong drive to connect classroom learning with their post-college goals.
Their enthusiasm for hands-on experiences, such as job applications and simulations, highlighted the critical need for practical, real-world learning opportunities. After gathering student feedback and analyzing the data, I found a 60% increase in their career confidence levels. This reinforced my belief that early and direct exposure to career exploration is essential for student success.”
In this activity, students were tasked with selecting two career exploration activities from the following options:
● Attending a career development event; ● Having an appointment with the career center; ● Joining a student club; ● Doing a career self-assessment ● Applying to a job; ● Or completing a job simulation and then reflecting on what they have learned.
This assignment aimed to show that career development offers many paths, so it’s crucial to understand why you choose an activity, what you hope to gain, and reflect on what you learn. Laurie expected students to pick low-effort options like self-assessments or joining a club, given their frequent concerns about time constraints. Instead, nearly all chose job simulations or applied for a job, showing a strong preference for hands-on experience.
For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with Laurie Nilo-Klug, please contact: Marisa Spano [email protected]
Higher Education Inquirer : This Week In College Viability (Gary Stocker, TWICV)
This Week In College Viability (Gary Stocker, TWICV)
College Viability provides a resource site for students, parents, community
member, faculty and others to easily see the latest information on the
financial health of private colleges.
The College Viability App enables students, parents, leaders and others
to compare the changes in a private colleges’ finances, enrollment, and
outcomes over a period of 6 years. For families this information lets
them make more informed decisions about their college choice — limiting
the risk of choosing one whose financial results suggest viability
concerns in the coming months and years.
For higher education leaders, the App provides comparative data about
competitors and potential merger or alliance partners.
Villanova University plans to absorb Rosemont College, which will take on the former’s name after a multiyear transition period set to begin in 2027, the two Catholic institutions in Pennsylvania said Monday.
After the merger is complete, Rosemont — less than a mile away from Villanova — will become “Villanova University, Rosemont Campus,” according to a press release. The deal requires approval from their accreditor — they have the same one — and from state and federal regulators.
Following the transition period, Villanova will take on Rosemont’s assets and liabilities and bring on three members of Rosemont’s governing board, according to Rosemont. Tenured and tenure-track faculty will be offered contracts at Villanova and can apply for tenured status via the university’s guidelines.
Dive Insight:
Villanova University President Peter Donohue described the merger with Rosemont as a “unique and powerful opportunity for our two institutions given our shared commitment to advancing Catholic higher education, our close physical proximity and deep alumni connections.”
In a community message, Donohue also noted that Villanova and Rosemont students for years have taken classes and participated in programs at each others’ campuses.
With 777 students in fall 2023, Rosemont is dwarfed by Villanova, which enrolled 10,111 students for that period.
Student bodies have shrunk at both colleges, though Rosemont’s has done so at a faster clip. Between 2018 to 2023, fall enrollment plunged 17.8% at Rosemont compared to a 8.3% drop at Villanova.
Rosemont, founded in 1921 by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus,is also the weaker of the two financially. It racked up a total operating deficit of $914,220 in fiscal 2023, more than triple the previous year’s budget gap, according to its latest financials.Villanova, meanwhile, has posted surpluses in recent years.
Rosemont’s fiscal 2023 audit also contained a going-concern warning, indicating there was “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating. The audit cited the college’s failure to meet the U.S. Department of Education’s benchmarks to be considered financially responsible.
However, in response to the financial issues flagged by auditors, Rosemont made several moves, including cutting executive-level positions, nixing a handful of vacant positions to reduce overall staffing and consolidating its student housing, moving to sell one of its residence halls.
The college also borrowed $7 million from its endowment to support operations and pay down a credit line.
College leaders said they believed those efforts, as well as marketing initiatives and enrollment partnerships — such as one with the Fraternal Order of Police — alleviated the going-concern doubt, auditors noted.
But merging with Villonova is meant to add to both institutions’ strengths.
“We are committed to securing the best possible options for our students, faculty and staff and believe this merger with Villanova offers the best opportunity to ensure that the Rosemont College history and legacy endures,” Rosemont President Jim Cawley said Monday in a statement.
Rosemont will continue operating as a separate entity through the transition period and maintain its academic programming during that time. According to the institutions, Rosemont students who haven’t completed their degrees by 2028 will have multiple options to do so, including transferring to Villanova’s professional studies college.
Student athletes on Rosemont’s NCAA Division III teams can move to club sports after the spring 2026 semester — given that Villanova is a Division I university. The college is looking for other D-III institutions that could provide quick and easy transfer pathways for student athletes from Rosemont, according to the institution.
The merger agreement also calls for the preservation of Rosemont’s chapel as “a place of gathering and inspiration.”To maintain Rosemont’s legacy, the institutions said an endowed scholarship will be created after the transition “supporting the mission” of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.
This isn’t Villanova’s only recent expansion. In 2024, the university bought the 112-acre Pennsylvania campus of Cabrini University following the Catholic institution’s decision to close. Per the agreement, they renamed the site Villanova University Cabrini Campus.
Several Catholic liberal arts colleges have struggled in recent years along with their secular peers.Facing enrollment and financial challenges, some have sought mergers.
This year, Gannon University and Ursuline College, for example, announced a formal merger agreement.And Iowa’s St. Ambrose University is working to acquire Mount Mercy University as part of a plan announced last year.
Higher education is under siege from the Trump administration. Those opposing this siege and the administration’s attacks on democracy would do well to heed the wise advice of Benjamin Franklin given just prior to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
This is particularly true right now for college and university presidents.
College presidents come from a tradition based on the importance of ideas, of fairness, of speaking the truth as they understand it, whatever the consequences. If they don’t speak out, what will later generations say when they look back at this dark, dark time?
The idea that Trump’s attacks on higher education are necessary to combat antisemitism is the thinnest of covers, and yet only a very few college presidents have been brave enough to call this what it is.
The president and those around him don’t care about antisemitism. Trump said people who chanted “Jews will not replace us” were “very fine people”; he dined with avowed antisemites like Nick Fuentes and Ye (Kanye West).
Marjorie Taylor Greene blamed the California wildfires of 2018 on space lasers paid for by Jewish bankers. Robert Kennedy claimed that Covid “targeted” white and Black people but spared Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. The Proud Boys pardoned by Trump for their part in the January 6 insurrection have routinely proclaimed their antisemitism; they include at least one member who has openly declared admiration for Adolf Hitler.
Fighting antisemitism? That was never the motive for the Trump administration’s attacks on colleges and universities. The motive was — and continues to be — to discipline and tame institutions of higher learning, to bring them to heel, to turn them into mouthpieces of a single ideology, to put an end to the free flow of ideas under the alleged need to combat “wokeism.”
Related: Interested in innovations in the field of higher education? Subscribe to our free biweeklyHigher Education newsletter.
Columbia University has been a prime target of the Trump administration’s financial threats. I’ve been a university provost. I’m not naïve about the tremendous damage the withholding of federal support can have on a school. But the fate of Columbia should be a cautionary tale for those who think keeping their heads down will help them survive. (The Hechinger Report is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based at Teachers College, Columbia University.)
Columbia was more than conciliatory in responding to concerns of antisemitism. The administration suspended two student groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, for holding rallies that allegedly included “threatening rhetoric and intimidation.”
They suspended four students in connection with an event featuring speakers who “support terrorism and promote violence.”
They called in police to dismantle the encampment created to protest the War in Gaza. Over 100 protesters were arrested.
They created a Task Force on Antisemitism, and accepted its recommendations. They dismissed three deans for exchanging text messages that seemed to minimize Jewish students’ concerns and referenced antisemitic tropes.
President Minouche Shafik resigned after little more than a year in office. (Last week, the university’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, also resigned.) In September 2024, the ADL reports, the university went so far as to introduce “new policies prohibiting the use of terms like ‘Zionist’ when employed to target Jews or Israelis.”
None of this prevented the Trump administration from cancelling $400 million worth of grants and contracts to Columbia — because responding to antisemitism was never the real impetus for the attack.
Was Marjorie Taylor Greene asked to renounce antisemitism as a condition for her leadership in Congress?
Was Robert Kennedy asked to renounce antisemitism in order to be nominated for a Cabinet position?
Were the Proud Boys asked to renounce antisemitism as a condition for their pardoning?
This is an attack on higher education as a whole, and it requires a collective defense. Columbia yesterday. Harvard today, your school tomorrow. College presidents cannot be silent as individual schools are attacked. They need to speak out as a group against each and every incursion.
They need to pledge to share resources, including financial resources, to resist these attacks; they should mount a joint legal resistance and a joint public response to an attack on any single institution.
These days, as many have observed, are much like the dark days of McCarthyism in the 1950s. In retrospect, we wonder why it took so long for so many to speak up.
Today we celebrate those who had the moral strength to stand up right then and say, “No. This isn’t right, and I won’t be part of it.”
The politicians of the Republican Party have made it clear they won’t do that, though most of them understand that Trumpism is attacking the very values — freedom, democracy, fairness — that they celebrate as “American.”
They have earned the low opinion most people have of politicians. But college and university presidents should — and must — take a stand.
Rob Rosenthal is John E. Andrus Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, at Wesleyan University.
This story about higher education and the Trump administration was produced byThe Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’sweekly newsletter.
The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. But that doesn’t mean it’s free to produce. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. Help us keep doing that.
Rosemont College will merge with its much larger neighbor, Villanova University, joining two private, Catholic institutions in the Philadelphia area, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The small college, located less than a mile from Villanova, will be renamed Villanova University, Rosemont Campus, in a move that seems more akin to an acquisition than a merger. Tenured and tenure-track faculty at Rosemont will reportedly be offered teaching contacts.
Like many small colleges, Rosemont has faced financial and enrollment challenges recently.
Rosemont’s enrollment stood at 777 students in fall 2023, according to recent federal data. While that number was higher than the two preceding years, it fell short of the 902 students Rosemont enrolled in 2019, or in previous years when the college typically surpassed the 1,000 mark.
Public financial records show that Rosemont operated at a loss in the last four fiscal years. Amid the financial struggles, Rosemont has borrowed $7 million from its endowment—recently valued at $23 million—since 2020. A recent audit indicated “substantial doubt” that Rosemont would be able to remain open if its financial struggles persisted.
During the merger process—which is expected to be completed in 2028, pending regulatory approvals—Rosemont will stay open and operate independently, with financial support from Villanova. But officials told the Inquirer they will stop accepting new students in October.
Financial challenges have battered colleges in the Keystone State in recent years, with three institutions announcing closures last year. Another, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, ended its degree programs but remains open as a museum. More closures are on the horizon as Pennsylvania State University considers a plan to shutter up to 12 of its campuses.
