Trump's Assault on Academic Freedom and Vannevar Bush's Vision

Resources

Books

• "Science the Endless Frontier" by Vannevar Bush - This report served as the blueprint for US science policy and established the foundation for the National Science Foundation, outlining principles for government-funded basic research at universities.

Videos & Documentaries

• 1963 film produced by MIT featuring Vannevar Bush - This film captured Vannevar Bush's confidence in the scientific system he helped build, emphasizing the independence of scientists.
• YouTube ad: "We are here" by the Big Ten Conference - This advertisement promotes the Big Ten Conference's positive contributions to health, community, and various aspects of life, which Paul Boxer found moving and relevant to the discussion of universities telling their own story.

Research & Studies

• The Harvard Plan series (Produced in collaboration with The Boston Globe) - This series examined the Trump administration's impact on universities, focusing on a specific plan and its implications for higher education and scientific funding.

Articles & Papers

• New York Times article discussing May Mailman - This article highlighted May Mailman's role and the controversy surrounding her involvement with the Federalist Society at Harvard Law.

People Mentioned

• Vannevar Bush (Visionary scientist) - Considered the architect of the modern American university and US science policy, his report "Science the Endless Frontier" laid the groundwork for government-funded research.
• Ryan Enos (Poly sci professor at Harvard) - Advocated for Harvard to take a principled stand against government pressure.
• Camilla Naxarova (Cancer researcher at Harvard) - Desired a deal with the administration to protect her grant funding.
• Kip Parker (Engineering professor at Harvard) - A Trump supporter who questioned why professors couldn't find common ground with the administration.
• Hillary Burns (Globe colleague and higher education reporter) - Collaborated on the "Harvard Plan" series and reported on university issues, including the University of Missouri's nuclear reactor.
• May Mailman (Former White House lead on executive orders) - A key figure in drafting executive orders and negotiating with college leaders during the Trump administration, described as Steven Miller's deputy.
• President Roosevelt - Appointed Vannevar Bush to lead bodies focused on military research and development.
• President Truman - Made the decision to use the atomic bomb and received Vannevar Bush's report "Science the Endless Frontier."
• Steven Miller (Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy) - Invited May Mailman back to the Trump administration, agreeing they should not be stopped by established norms.
• Paul Boxer (Psychology professor at Rutgers Newark) - Proposed a NATO-style alliance for higher education and was a key figure in the "Big Ten Compact" idea.
• David Salas de la Cruz (Chemistry professor at Rutgers) - Collaborated with Paul Boxer on the "Big Ten Compact" initiative.
• Christopher Eisgruber (President of Princeton and outgoing chair of the Association of American Universities) - Spoke out against the Trump administration's actions, comparing them to the Red Scare, and emphasized litigation as a form of resistance.
• Alan Garber (Harvard official) - Praised by Christopher Eisgruber for taking important stands on academic freedom.
• Uriah Orland (Guide at University of Missouri Research Reactor) - Provided details about the reactor's operations and the production of radioisotopes.
• Roger Marshall (Republican Senator) - Inquired about the geographical dispersion of NIH investments.
• J.B. Pritzker (NIH Director) - Convinced of the vital importance of geographically dispersed NIH investments.
• Moon Choi (President of the University of Missouri) - Advocated for federal funding for a new nuclear reactor and met with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
• Daniel Diermeier (President of Vanderbilt) - Discussed the Trump compact as a conversation starter and emphasized the need for universities to address campus culture issues.
• Ron DeSantis (Governor of Florida) - Attacked New College as a "woke institution" and installed his appointees on its board.
• Christopher Rufo (Conservative activist and New College board member) - Advocated for balancing campus culture and described New College as having a culture problem.
• Charlie Kirk (Conservative activist) - His memorial back room event at New College and the planned statue highlight his movement's influence in attacking liberalism on college campuses.
• Claudine Gay (Former President of Harvard) - Discussed the pressures on academia, including donor sensitivities and the impact of the Trump administration's demands.
• Jenna Norton (NIH staffer) - Placed on administrative leave, suspected to be due to her criticism of the administration's changes to the science grants process.
• J.B. Bochyaria (NIH Director) - Stated support for free speech and dissent among NIH staffers.

Organizations & Institutions

• Harvard University - The central institution discussed in relation to the "Harvard Plan" and the Trump administration's pressure campaign.
• The Boston Globe - Collaborated with On the Media to produce the "Harvard Plan" series.
• WNYC Studios - The producer of the podcast.
• Built - A company that allows users to earn points by paying rent.
• USA for UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency) - An organization providing emergency relief to displaced families.
• Progressive Insurance - Offers auto insurance comparison tools.
• The Trump Administration - Implemented policies and executive orders aimed at changing campus culture in universities.
• The White House - The executive branch of the US government, central to the discussions of policy and pressure campaigns.
• The Manhattan Project - A World War II project to develop nuclear weapons, in which Vannevar Bush was involved.
• The National Science Foundation (NSF) - Established based on Vannevar Bush's report to fund basic research.
• The Soviet Union - Mentioned as a rival in scientific advancement during Vannevar Bush's era.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) - Produced a film featuring Vannevar Bush in 1963.
• The Federalist Society - A conservative legal organization at Harvard Law School involved in a campus incident.
• The New York Times - Mentioned as a source for an article about May Mailman.
• The Big Ten Athletic Conference - A sports league whose member universities were considered for a potential alliance.
• The Big Ten Academic Alliance - The scholarly counterpart to the Big Ten sports league.
• Rutgers University - A large research school that explored forming a "Big Ten Compact."
• The University of Michigan - A member of the Big Ten Conference.
• Ohio State University - A member of the Big Ten Conference.
• UCLA - A member of the Big Ten Conference.
• Penn State - A member of the Big Ten Conference.
• The Big Ten Network - A television channel associated with the Big Ten Conference.
• The University of Missouri (Mizzou) - A large state school and SEC member, highlighted for its nuclear reactor and research funding efforts.
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - A government agency that funds biomedical research.
• The Southeastern Conference (SEC) - An athletic conference that includes the University of Missouri.
• Vanderbilt University - An SEC school that received the Trump compact and offered feedback.
• Arizona State University - Stated they are offering feedback on the Trump compact.
• New College - A state school in Sarasota, Florida, that expressed willingness to sign the Trump compact and underwent significant changes under state influence.
• The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences - Where Claudine Gay gave a talk discussing academic independence and the Trump administration.
• The Association of American Universities (AAU) - A consortium of schools receiving significant government research funding, which has filed lawsuits against the Trump administration.
• Columbia University - Faced pressure and a settlement with the Trump administration regarding campus protests and DEI initiatives.
• Upenn, Brown, and Cornell Universities - Agreed to settlements with the government under duress.

Courses & Educational Resources

• Citation Justice - Mentioned as a concept where professors might be required to cite a certain percentage of minority authors, potentially hampering intellectual diversity.

Websites & Online Resources

• joinbuilt.com/wnyc - Website to learn more about the Built platform.
• unrefugees.org - Website for information about UNHCR.
• progressive.com - Website to compare auto insurance rates.
• blue sky (Social media platform) - Mentioned in the context of sharing the Rutgers Senate resolution.
• rippling.com/wnyc - Website to learn more about Rippling's unified platform for HR, payroll, IT, and finance.
• applepodcasts.com - Platform to listen to podcasts.
• foreignpolicy.com - Website for Foreign Policy magazine, where "The Threshold" podcast is available.
• tiktok.com - Platform where Jenna Norton shared a video regarding her administrative leave.
• sponsorship.wnyc.org - Website to learn more about WNYC's sponsorship opportunities.

Other Resources

• The Harvard Plan (mini-series) - A collaboration between On the Media and The Boston Globe examining the Trump administration's pressure campaign on higher education.
• Adrift (Apple Original podcast) - A podcast hosted by Becky Milligan about the Robertson family's survival story.
• The Threshold (podcast) - A podcast from Foreign Policy about the fight to end infectious disease, made possible in part through funding from the Gates Foundation.
• The "Harvard Plan" - A conceptual framework or strategy employed by the Trump administration to influence university policies and culture.
• The Trump Compact - A proposed agreement from the Trump administration outlining conditions for universities' relationship with the government, including commitments to the biological definition of sex and tracking political orientation.
• The Vannevar Bush Compact - The informal agreement Vannevar Bush envisioned between government and research universities, characterized by long-term, predictable funding and academic independence.
• The Big Ten Compact - An initiative proposed by Rutgers professors to create a united front for Big Ten universities against government incursions.
• Mar-a-Lago - President Trump's estate in Florida, where University of Missouri President Moon Choi met with him.
• The Gaza Protests - Mentioned in relation to controversies at Columbia University.
• The Red Scare of the 1950s - Used by Christopher Eisgruber as a comparison for the threat posed by the Trump administration's actions to American universities.
• The FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago - Mentioned by May Mailman as an example of an authoritarian action.
• The University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) - A significant research facility at the University of Missouri, central to its pursuit of federal funding.
• Lutetium 177 - A radioisotope produced at MURR used in cancer treatment.
• Iodine 131 - A radioisotope mentioned in the context of cancer treatment.
• US News rankings - Used as a metric to assess the performance of New College.