It seems to me the only way to change anything with this kind of ilk is to hit them in the wallet. It will be the needed thing for them to stop believing they are untouchable. That’s the only way history will hopefully avoid getting repeated. The damage done to trust is immeasurable.
"Anti-semitism" is a hypocritical charge and it's outrageous that anyone for free speech during Covid hysteria is against free speech for Palestine now. Ultimate hypocrisy.
Criticism of Israel should be allowed on campuses. Physical occupation of university spaces with the intention of shutting down operations and falsely imprison people should not be allowed. For any cause. Simple.
I strongly oppose Stanford's treatment of SA and JB, but I find the USG action action against Columbia troubling. There is already too much politicization of education through the DOE and chilling of free speech on campuses. Look to see the other party punishing conservative university institutions (there are a few) when the government changes hands. The cycle of retribution will never end. Many innocent grant recipients and their employees at will be harmed. I am hoping the courts will examine this action and overturn it if not well-grounded in the law.
Yea. Stanford anchored the west-coast arm of medical propaganda—spearheaded medical mccarthyism . (in light of smearing campaign, The reversal of jay Battiycharia being appointed NIH is Biblical—good prevails) i recall during scamdemic—watching Fauci and dean of Stanford medical school having “fireside chats” on YouTube… hamming it up—hehe haha. pull their funds!!
The Trump administration’s pulling of $400 million in grants and contracts has reverberated through the world of higher education. Harvard has announced a hiring freeze, although they don’t quite call it that. The language is turgid, but the point comes through:
Universities throughout the nation face substantial financial uncertainties driven by rapidly shifting federal policies.
Yes, we now have an administration that is opposed to anti-Semitism.
Effective immediately, Harvard will implement a temporary pause on staff and faculty hiring across the University. In the coming days, we will work closely with the leadership of Harvard’s Schools and administrative units to help determine how to implement this guidance in extraordinary cases, such as positions essential to fulfilling the terms of gift- or grant-funded projects. We are also asking the leadership of Schools and administrative units to scrutinize discretionary and non-salary spending, reassess the scope and timing of capital renewal projects, and conduct a rigorous review of any new multi-year commitments.
So, a hiring freeze.
Though current uncertainties touch every corner of the University and of higher education, we are confident that we will be able to address the present challenges together as we continue to pursue academic excellence in service to the nation and the world.
Current uncertainties = the risk that the federal government will sanction Harvard for condoning, and perhaps encouraging, anti-Semitism. The language is high-flown, but the reality on the ground has been brutal.
Earlier today, the Department of Education sent letters to 60 universities, telling them that “it could take enforcement action against them if it determines they aren’t doing enough to protect Jewish students from discrimination or harassment.” Good. Hiring freezes all around, would be a desirable outcome."
There are vast numbers of cases of conservatives having their speech censored over questionable safety concerns that line up with the biases of College administrators. Here are a few:
Agree, free speech,vitally important And definitely Trump will get us there. Yeah I don’t believe that at all. There were 30% on both sides that do not want free speech. Wait for the response comments from the non-sensible people on this Substack to show how free speech is not something they really want. TDS swings both ways.
"at least three faculty members—English professor Joseph Albernaz, philosophy lecturer Ruairidh MacLeod, and an unnamed third—emailed students to cancel courses or remove attendance requirements, emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show"
I’m really disappointed in your fatuous statement that the cutting of funds to Columbia university where speech occured that the government disagrees with “is a powerful motivation for universities to do better on all future protests, balancing freedom of expression with safety.” I would have expected you to strongly defend freedom of speech, and before you come down on the side of abridging free speech on the basis of “safety” that you would have done the requisite research on who was being threatened and attacked before believing every false plea and “agents provocateur”. For example, you would have known that at UCLA it was a pro-Israel mob that attacked protestors, not vice versa. You would have seen the video of the New York woman at the Columbia campus yelling that she was being obstructed, all the while walking freely through the protest encampment. You lose credibility when you don’t do this requisite research, which you do on medical topics. A true defender of free speech would push back against censors on the right as well as against those on the left.
"The images from inside Hamilton Hall show overturned chairs, tables and other furniture. Protesters broke windows and caused other damage at the occupied hall, university officials said and images showed. Barricades had also been set up"
Excellent piece. I am a retired Professor of Pediatrics who was frustrated at the rigid authority structure in the medical schools for whom I worked. Med schools are immensely hierarchical. The Dean or President rules with Department Chairs having responsibilities for their departments. The culture is the expectation of obeisance. Faculty members are not encouraged to know in detail what the medical students are taught. The personal opinions of senior faculty who are not in the hierarchy of leadership would be an invaluable resource of critical opinions and perspectives that each organization badly needs. Despite my clinical experience and international reputation, my input was never sought for hospital or medical school policies that directly impacted my clinical programs. Similarly, journals and departments operate to suppress outside or counterintuitive perspectives. This culture left a bad taste in my mouth which lingers 2.5 years after my retirement.
Stanford gave a hard time to Scott Atlas and to Jay Bhattacharya for speaking their minds.
They also supported censorship programs like the Stanford Internet Observatory and the Virality Project.
Federal funding of Stanford should be cut down to zero until they offer a full disclosure and a public apology for all these activities.
Fully agree. The only way to get the Universitie to turn around is to go really hard. Then they'll soon wake up.
It seems to me the only way to change anything with this kind of ilk is to hit them in the wallet. It will be the needed thing for them to stop believing they are untouchable. That’s the only way history will hopefully avoid getting repeated. The damage done to trust is immeasurable.
Completely agree! The power of the purse, as the saying goes…
Needs to be applied to many more universities regarding censorship, COVID policies, as well as antisemitism.
And now we will get to watch a bunch of useless protests by people who truly have no clue as to what they are doing…
"Anti-semitism" is a hypocritical charge and it's outrageous that anyone for free speech during Covid hysteria is against free speech for Palestine now. Ultimate hypocrisy.
I can't bear such hypocrisy.
Criticism of Israel should be allowed on campuses. Physical occupation of university spaces with the intention of shutting down operations and falsely imprison people should not be allowed. For any cause. Simple.
I strongly oppose Stanford's treatment of SA and JB, but I find the USG action action against Columbia troubling. There is already too much politicization of education through the DOE and chilling of free speech on campuses. Look to see the other party punishing conservative university institutions (there are a few) when the government changes hands. The cycle of retribution will never end. Many innocent grant recipients and their employees at will be harmed. I am hoping the courts will examine this action and overturn it if not well-grounded in the law.
Praying Dr. Vinay goes viral
I couldn't agree more with you Vinay. Spot on.
Yea. Stanford anchored the west-coast arm of medical propaganda—spearheaded medical mccarthyism . (in light of smearing campaign, The reversal of jay Battiycharia being appointed NIH is Biblical—good prevails) i recall during scamdemic—watching Fauci and dean of Stanford medical school having “fireside chats” on YouTube… hamming it up—hehe haha. pull their funds!!
Brilliant, simple suggestion, Vinay. Keep them coming!
It's already working.
"Harvard Freezes
The Trump administration’s pulling of $400 million in grants and contracts has reverberated through the world of higher education. Harvard has announced a hiring freeze, although they don’t quite call it that. The language is turgid, but the point comes through:
Universities throughout the nation face substantial financial uncertainties driven by rapidly shifting federal policies.
Yes, we now have an administration that is opposed to anti-Semitism.
Effective immediately, Harvard will implement a temporary pause on staff and faculty hiring across the University. In the coming days, we will work closely with the leadership of Harvard’s Schools and administrative units to help determine how to implement this guidance in extraordinary cases, such as positions essential to fulfilling the terms of gift- or grant-funded projects. We are also asking the leadership of Schools and administrative units to scrutinize discretionary and non-salary spending, reassess the scope and timing of capital renewal projects, and conduct a rigorous review of any new multi-year commitments.
So, a hiring freeze.
Though current uncertainties touch every corner of the University and of higher education, we are confident that we will be able to address the present challenges together as we continue to pursue academic excellence in service to the nation and the world.
Current uncertainties = the risk that the federal government will sanction Harvard for condoning, and perhaps encouraging, anti-Semitism. The language is high-flown, but the reality on the ground has been brutal.
Earlier today, the Department of Education sent letters to 60 universities, telling them that “it could take enforcement action against them if it determines they aren’t doing enough to protect Jewish students from discrimination or harassment.” Good. Hiring freezes all around, would be a desirable outcome."
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/03/harvard-freezes.php
There are vast numbers of cases of conservatives having their speech censored over questionable safety concerns that line up with the biases of College administrators. Here are a few:
https://mndaily.com/261973/city/br-shapiroupdate/
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/ualbany-students-shut-turning-point-usa-ian-17882744.php
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/07/us/former-ncaa-swimmer-riley-gaines-assault-san-francisco-state-university/index.html
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2023/03/13/stanford-apologizes-after-students-heckle-judge
https://www.thefire.org/news/moving-events-online-due-protests-still-hecklers-veto
Hearing leftists complain about free speech restrictions is a little ironic, since they only care about speech that lines up with their agenda.
Agree, free speech,vitally important And definitely Trump will get us there. Yeah I don’t believe that at all. There were 30% on both sides that do not want free speech. Wait for the response comments from the non-sensible people on this Substack to show how free speech is not something they really want. TDS swings both ways.
Dr Vinay for president 2028!!!
Columbia didn't get the memo:
"at least three faculty members—English professor Joseph Albernaz, philosophy lecturer Ruairidh MacLeod, and an unnamed third—emailed students to cancel courses or remove attendance requirements, emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show"
https://freebeacon.com/campus/columbia-professors-cancel-classes-in-solidarity-with-pro-hamas-activist-in-ice-custody/
I’m really disappointed in your fatuous statement that the cutting of funds to Columbia university where speech occured that the government disagrees with “is a powerful motivation for universities to do better on all future protests, balancing freedom of expression with safety.” I would have expected you to strongly defend freedom of speech, and before you come down on the side of abridging free speech on the basis of “safety” that you would have done the requisite research on who was being threatened and attacked before believing every false plea and “agents provocateur”. For example, you would have known that at UCLA it was a pro-Israel mob that attacked protestors, not vice versa. You would have seen the video of the New York woman at the Columbia campus yelling that she was being obstructed, all the while walking freely through the protest encampment. You lose credibility when you don’t do this requisite research, which you do on medical topics. A true defender of free speech would push back against censors on the right as well as against those on the left.
Deport them all!
"The images from inside Hamilton Hall show overturned chairs, tables and other furniture. Protesters broke windows and caused other damage at the occupied hall, university officials said and images showed. Barricades had also been set up"
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/smashed-windows-piled-furniture-left-occupation-hamilton-hall-columbia-rcna150154
Hurrah
Excellent piece. I am a retired Professor of Pediatrics who was frustrated at the rigid authority structure in the medical schools for whom I worked. Med schools are immensely hierarchical. The Dean or President rules with Department Chairs having responsibilities for their departments. The culture is the expectation of obeisance. Faculty members are not encouraged to know in detail what the medical students are taught. The personal opinions of senior faculty who are not in the hierarchy of leadership would be an invaluable resource of critical opinions and perspectives that each organization badly needs. Despite my clinical experience and international reputation, my input was never sought for hospital or medical school policies that directly impacted my clinical programs. Similarly, journals and departments operate to suppress outside or counterintuitive perspectives. This culture left a bad taste in my mouth which lingers 2.5 years after my retirement.