The Trump administration’s funding threats aren’t the only issue colleges and universities are facing. The rising antisemitism on campus, and challenges in managing student free speech and demonstrations. What is the future of research without U.S. government grants and funding? How will the courts adjudicate these issues? The Trump Department of Justice is also taking specific aim at multiple universities on international student visas, antisemitic claims, anti-D.E.I. investigations, and trans athletes vis-à-vis Title IX. Americans now have $1.8 trillion in cumulative student debt. Administrative costs continue to rise. Are Americans’ value systems changing toward education and how?

And the bigger question over all of this: Today, what do our universities’ leadership believe the education they provide is for? What and how are universities contributing to society today? Is there a crisis of faith in our educational system? Universities can be rigid systems. Are they capable of responding to valid criticisms? What do they believe needs to change, and how are they working toward those ends in their universities?