How One Ivy League University Has Avoided Trump's Retribution So Far

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

May 11, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET


Some 600 college leaders recently signed a letter opposing the Trump administration’s interference in higher education. The only Ivy League president who did not sign the letter was Sian Beilock, the president of Dartmouth College. Instead, she wrote her own letter to her campus, saying that higher education institutions should strive to do better, “to further our standing as a trusted beacon for knowledge and truth.” “Reflection does not mean capitulation,” she added.

It is the kind of message, her critics and supporters say, that has so far helped to keep Dartmouth out of the Trump administration’s cross hairs. Six of the eight Ivies are facing major funding threats, to the tune of billions of dollars, as the federal government attempts to punish them over concerns about antisemitism and other issues. Harvard University alone could lose over $2 billion. And every Ivy but Dartmouth is being investigated over allegations that they have allowed antisemitism on campus.

The onslaught is unlike anything universities have experienced, academic leaders say. In addition to stripping schools of research money, the administration has threatened to increase taxes on university endowments, reshape college accreditation and even revoke tax exemptions from schools.

While Dartmouth hasn’t been targeted specifically, it would not emerge unscathed if the Republican administration gets its way. Higher endowment taxes could bring a significant financial blow, for example. And the administration’s visa crackdown has entangled some current and former Dartmouth students.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/11/us/politics/dartmouth-college-trump.html

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No paywall (gift)

Link to referenced LETTER - A Call for Constructive Engagement

Dartmouth is where "RW loon, 'illegal alien', and convicted criminal" Distort DeNooza went to college.

[keep_left]

1. Distort DeNooza and Laura Ingraham...

...both went there; they worked for the Dartmouth Review, a campus paper funded by a right-wing sugar daddy.

Ingraham began her career as a pundit at the Dartmouth Review, Dartmouth College's student-run conservative rag. During her stint at the Review, she met and dated fellow wingnut Dinesh D'Souza and helped to out members of the university's gay-straight alliance.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Laura_Ingraham#Dartmouth_Review
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Dinesh_D'Souza

[BumRushDaShow]

3. I was thinking either Ann Coultergeist or her

but knew it was one of them!

[CBHagman]

2. "...as the federal government attempts to punish them over concerns about antisemitism and other issues."

"Concerns" aren't driving Trump administration actions. "Allegations that they have allowed antisemitism on campus" aren't driving investigations.

This is just one more of the administration's attacks on institutions.

[CTyankee]

4. My daughter called it "Smartmouth."

This was back when it was all male. She was a student at Mt. Holyoke and the women there used that term. I found it amusing.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. I almost went to Mt. Holyoke

(was accepted there)

But since I was coming out of an all-girls high school, I figured it was time to try co-ed and ended up at UMASS (but Mt. Holyoke was part of their "5-college Consortium" along with Smith, Amherst College, Hampshire College and UMASS, so could have taken classes there if I wanted - we did party all around the 5 schools though).

[CTyankee]

6. She loved it there. She was very shy and the school taught her assertiveness skills.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. That's great

and that's what they do. We had that in high school - didn't have to "compete" against the boys (with all kinds of social pressures to suppress the potential). Mt. Holyoke was always laid back. Smith was more radical.

[CTyankee]

8. My daughter was shy but did she change!

I remember one of my co-workers saying "she's so pretty, why is she going to a girls school?"