Remove the Squatters — Universities Deserve to be Preserved

American universities are facing a serious crisis, and I’m not referring to President Donald Trump’s actions.

The true danger to institutions like Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia—schools with tremendous legacies predating the United States—stems from internal forces: activist groups inflated by their own ideals. 

However, this doesn’t warrant complete abandonment or destruction of these institutions.

The individuals who have seized control and transformed them into ideological enclaves do not truly possess them; they are merely occupying them.

These universities are among the oldest in our nation, with alumni among our founding fathers, having served for centuries as custodians of culture, literature, and the arts.

Once, their mission was to uphold and disseminate the principles of Western civilization, which encapsulates their legacy and value.

They can reclaim that protective role.

Despite the prevalence of administrative excess and activist ideologues on campuses, the foundations of intellectual inquiry and academic rigor can still be revived.

We cannot relinquish these institutions to the ideologues who have strolled through their gates only to tarnish their campuses, metaphorically and literally.

The mission of our most venerable schools was once widely recognized: to safeguard American culture, to teach the positive aspects of our society, and to continually challenge our beliefs, so that we can master our ideas rather than be enslaved by them.

Universities must foster future leaders who engage in critical thought, free from ideological constraints.

Recently, several new institutions that embrace these principles have arisen, including the University of Austin. Founded by The Free Press’ Bari Weiss and other innovative thinkers, it features a distinguished faculty committed to “the fearless pursuit of truth.”

Ralston College in Savannah, Ga., established in 2010, emphasizes classical studies as “a revival and reinvention of the traditional university.”

Other institutions have undergone transformations, such as the New College of Florida, which has shifted from a woke agenda to branding itself as “educating free thinkers, risk takers, and trailblazers” through Socratic dialogue and a classical curriculum.

Hillsdale College in Michigan, created in 1844, remains steadfast in its mission of empowering students for self-governance through education.

Today’s college-bound generation is more conservative than previous generations. Those pursuing higher education are likely to gravitate towards schools that won’t attempt to shame or remake them.

Institutions that take heed of this shift will thrive; those that ignore it may perish.

So far, our premier universities are not passing this crucial exam.

The Ivy League, the storied California state university system, and others are intensifying efforts to educate American students through activist models of dialogue and lifestyle, with the intention of propagating that ethos worldwide.

All these schools are currently under investigation by the Trump administration, with funding either cut or under scrutiny.

Faculty may express outrage over alleged free speech infringements, yet these same educators have acquiesced to each new ideological trend.

But the role of academia is not to combat oppression, elevate marginalized voices, or promote ideology.

These institutions have one essential task: to cultivate a critical understanding of our nation and civilization in students, to examine what we believe and why.

Academic inquiry should not be threatened by challenging questions; instead, it must be fortified.

Our historic universities need to embark on a path of renewal.

Initially, they can consider some advice from Trump’s suggestions — if only to retain their federal funding.

Yet to maintain their status as thought leaders and preserve the value of their prestigious degrees, they must do more.

They need to eliminate unnecessary administrative positions to reduce budgets and lower tuition fees, evict activist professors from humanities departments, and discontinue oppression studies.

They must prioritize American students in their admissions, scholarships, and fellowships, focusing on merit based on grades and initiative, not identity or ideology.

They should reject demands for ideological conformity and introduce students to the seminal works of the past, the evolution of ideas, religions, and nations.

Our foremost universities must inspire students to appreciate the principles of Western civilization, recognize what makes it exceptional, and understand why it should endure.

We don’t need to dismantle our esteemed institutions; we need to reclaim them from those who are eroding these prestigious halls.

The NYPD removed the occupiers from Columbia’s Hamilton Hall in 2024. It is now the responsibility of America’s scholars and thinkers to complete the task.

Libby Emmons is the editor-in-chief at the Post Millennial.