“Researchers who study the misdeeds of authoritarian governments are almost always under threat.” In a guest essay, Laura Murphy argues that “democratic governments need to build a fortress around academic freedom” https://t.co/wTZyePLFCyIllustration: Dan Williams https://t.co/6lTRpiXHcv ...

“Researchers who study the misdeeds of authoritarian governments are almost always under threat.” In a guest essay, Laura Murphy argues that “democratic governments need to build a fortress around academic freedom” https://t.co/nqUxkV9StJ ...

today. This was a large protest on the lawn at the main campus quad at the University of Virginia. This is the protest there today with with students and faculty and staff telling the UVA administration that they should refuse to sign this deal with the devil compact with the Trump administration to supposedly get special preferences in federal funding if you agree to Trump's ideological strictures on your academic freedom.This was the protest today at UVA telling the UVA administration, don't you dare. Do ...

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology rejected the Trump administration’s latest effort to reorient higher education toward its policy priorities, spurning a proposal that calls for universities to accept a series of demands in exchange for preferential access to federal funding.MIT’s practices already “meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent,” President Sally Kornbluth said in a letter Friday to Education Secretary Linda McMahon. Other parts of the deal, which Apollo Global Mana ...

Your home institution, if I can call it that, of Harvard, is back in the news. I'm not sure it was entirely out of the news, but it's certainly back in the news right now with reports that, in fact, the US government may be about to sign a deal. Give us a sense of how we should look at that deal.What is important in it and what is important for it not to be in it. I don't know what, if any, the deal is going to be. I think what's most important for Harvard, if it makes concessions to the government.Is assur ...

Economic Development & Investment - Massachusetts aims to reinforce its position as a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, science, and research by leveraging public investment in research with additional private funding [2][3] - The investment in research is expected to act as a catalyst for job creation across various sectors, including construction, real estate, hospitality, restaurants, and retail [5] - Massachusetts faces competition from China in attracting and retaining scientists and researchers, emphasizing the need to keep talent within the state and contribute to American GDP and global dominance [6] - The state government acknowledges the need to compensate for potential funding uncertainties from the federal government by proactively investing in research and development [2][7] Trade & Tariffs - Tariffs are viewed as taxes that can negatively impact key sectors, such as housing, due to increased lumber costs from Canada [13] - Massachusetts exported $3 billion in goods to Canada in 2024, highlighting Canada as the state's third-largest trading partner [13] - The current administration's tariff policies are causing uncertainty, hindering capital deployment and potentially diverting investment away from the United States [17] - Tourism in New England has experienced a decline of 20-60% due to the treatment of Canadian visitors [21] Political Landscape - Concerns are raised about efforts to weaponize governmental bodies against universities, potentially silencing critics and undermining academic freedom [11] - The governor expresses concerns about redistricting efforts in Texas, emphasizing the importance of fair representation [25][26]