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Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Infrastructure Investors Call for Action to Attract Private Capital to U.S. Infrastructure
Global Infrastructure Investor Association urges Congress to take steps to unleash international investment in the U.S. WASHINGTON, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - International investors have called on Congress and the Trump Administration to supercharge investment in the U.S. infrastructure market by making it easier for state and local governments to access private capital for next-generation infrastructure. The Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA) today released Building a New Foundation for U.S Infrastructure, outlining key Calls to Action (CTAs) for the U.S. Congress and Trump Administration to address critical infrastructure investing challenges. The White Paper identifies a series of recommendations that could unlock a greater role for the private sector in achieving the Administration's policy priorities. The focus on issues such as energy dominance and permitting reform is encouraging for investors, but there are near-term headwinds. GIIA's latest Pulse Survey of global infrastructure investors shows the U.S. behind other countries in terms of attractiveness for investment. European markets, including Spain, Germany, and the Nordics, have all risen in attractiveness as investors consider locations in which to invest in energy and transportation infrastructure. Jon Phillips, CEO of GIIA, says: 'The U.S. market remains a huge opportunity for investors. But its over-reliance on public debt to pay for infrastructure, and obstacles like permits that take years to approve, are holding it back.' 'The U.S. has a $3.7 trillion infrastructure funding gap, which cannot be closed without the private sector taking a greater role. This Administration and this Congress have an opportunity to make the U.S. the top destination for private investment, helping to deliver its policy agendas on energy security, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and 21st century transportation.' GIIA Offers Solutions to Provide Americans with Better Infrastructure GIIA's White Paper Building a New Foundation for U.S. Infrastructure outlines key calls to action to improve investor confidence in the U.S.: 'Most public spending on infrastructure is facilitated by state and local governments,' says Jon Phillips. 'However, around half of all U.S. states have limited or no legislation that enables P3s. Making P3s possible and carrying out inventories of existing assets to better manage costs, would encourage private investors and save taxpayer dollars.' GIIA and its members developed the White Paper in partnership with Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Everyone Agrees Americans Deserve Better GIIA's call for Congress to act is further supported by the American Society of Civil Engineers' recent 'C' grade given to U.S. infrastructure, which underlines the urgent need for investment. 'Private ownership, public-private partnerships and the use of private sector skills and experience can all help to usher in a new Golden Age of American infrastructure,' says Jon Phillips, CEO, GIIA. By international comparisons, GIIA members are underinvested in the U.S. market, with U.S. assets under management representing just 17 percent of their $2 trillion global portfolio. This imbalance offers an opportunity for the U.S. to attract private capital and rapidly improve the performance of its infrastructure, creating jobs and increasing productivity across the country. Methodology: The latest GIIA Pulse Survey of global infrastructure investors reflects responses from investors with more than $850 billion in global infrastructure assets under management. The survey is conducted by Alvarez & Marsal on behalf of the Global Infrastructure Investor Association. About the Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA) GIIA was established in 2016 to improve engagement between investors, politicians, policymakers, and regulators and increase much-needed investment in infrastructure. Today, it represents the world's leading infrastructure investors and advisors, who collectively represent more than USD 2 trillion of infrastructure assets under management across nearly 70 countries. Some 120 member companies are now investing in or advising on the smart, sustainable, and innovative infrastructure needed for communities and economies to thrive. GIIA's Pulse Survey of its members is conducted every six months and assesses the comparative attractiveness of the world's biggest infrastructure investment markets in North America, Europe, and Australasia. View original content: SOURCE Global Infrastructure Investor Association
Int'l Business Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Harvard Renames DEI Office to "Community and Campus Life" Amid Federal Pressure
People gather to take photos with the John Harvard Statue at Harvard University on April 17, 2025 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard University announced on April 28, 2025, that it will immediately rename its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (OEDIB) to the Office of Community and Campus Life. The decision comes as the Trump administration escalates its efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming at universities, threatening billions in federal funding. The move has sparked debate about whether Harvard is conceding to political pressure or strategically adapting to a shifting landscape. The renaming was detailed in an email from Sherri A. Charleston, previously Harvard's chief diversity officer and now the chief Community and Campus Life officer. Charleston wrote, "In the weeks and months ahead, we will take steps to make this change concrete and to work with all of Harvard's schools and units to implement these vital objectives, including shared efforts to reexamine and reshape the missions and programs of offices across the university." The announcement followed two April letters from federal agencies demanding that Harvard dismantle its DEI initiatives or face a $2.2 billion federal funding freeze, which the university is now challenging through a lawsuit. The rebranded office will prioritize expanding cross-cultural engagement, supporting first-generation and low-income students, and fostering dialogue across ideological differences. Charleston cited a 2024 campus-wide Pulse Survey, noting that while many at Harvard feel a strong sense of belonging, fewer feel comfortable expressing divergent viewpoints. This, she argued, underscores the need to reimagine how Harvard builds community with a focus on free expression. The decision has drawn mixed reactions. Some see it as a pragmatic response to federal pressure, while others view it as a retreat from Harvard's commitment to DEI. Posts on X reflect this divide, with one user stating, "Harvard has renamed its Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging to 'Community and Campus Life'. The explanatory text is quite strong, and we will see what programmatic changes follow. Regardless of influence of federal pressure, seems like a positive development." Another user remarked sarcastically, "Wow they just be like 'whatever you say daddy' #DEI," highlighting skepticism about Harvard's motives. NEW: Harvard renamed its DEI office on Monday as it faces a surge of federal pressure. Effective immediately, Harvard's Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging will be renamed to "Community and Campus Life." More in @thecrimsonhttps:// — Dhruv Patel (@dhruvtkpatel) April 28, 2025 Harvard's legal battle against the Trump administration intensified this month, with the university suing over the $2.2 billion funding freeze, which it calls an "unconstitutional campaign" to punish its resistance to federal demands. The administration's push includes additional threats, such as a potential $1 billion cut in health research funding and investigations into Harvard's programs, like the Harvard Law Review, for alleged discrimination. The renaming also coincides with Harvard's decision to end funding and support for affinity group celebrations during commencement, a move attributed to federal warnings against race-based programming. Last year, Harvard hosted celebrations for groups including Black, Latinx, and first-generation graduates, but these events will no longer receive university resources, leaving student organizers uncertain about their future. Critics argue that the rebranding may dilute the focus on equity and inclusion, which Charleston herself emphasized in a 2021 interview with The Harvard Crimson. Reflecting on OEDIB's work, she said, "We saw in various spaces that there was a clarion call to make sure that we were not forgetting the equity component." That commitment now appears to be reframed under a broader mission, raising questions about how Harvard will balance its stated values with external pressures. As Harvard navigates this contentious period, the university's actions are being closely watched. Its lawsuit against the Trump administration and the rebranding of OEDIB signal a complex strategy: publicly resisting federal overreach while making concessions that could reshape its approach to diversity and inclusion. Whether the Office of Community and Campus Life will maintain the spirit of its predecessor remains to be seen, but for now, Harvard is charting a new course in a polarized climate. Originally published on University Herald
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harvard concedes on renaming DEI office
Harvard University, while publicly resisting demands of the Trump Administration that Harvard President Alan Garber called 'beyond the power of the federal government,' appeared to make a concession on Monday. In an email that went out to the campus community on Monday, which was obtained and reviewed by MassLive, the head of the office formerly known as the 'Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging' announced that effective immediately, the office would now be known as 'Community and Campus Life.' 'We must sharpen our focus on fostering connections across difference, creating spaces for dialogue, and cultivating a culture of belonging — not as an abstract ideal, but as a lived experience for all,' wrote Sherri Ann Charleston, formerly Harvard's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer. She signed the email as Chief Community and Campus Life Officer. The change comes amid an intense crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion programing at the federal level, with the Trump Administration issuing executive orders to end such programs at all public K-12 schools, an action that has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge. In higher education, the Trump administration has threatened to revoke accreditation of colleges and universities in part over diversity, equity and inclusion programs that an executive order signed last week states are 'unlawfully discriminatory practices.' Read more: Trump's demands of Harvard have only grown. This is where they stand Among the Trump Administration's demands in an April 11 letter to Harvard was the 'discontinuation of DEI.' 'The University must immediately shutter all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices, committees, positions, and initiatives, under whatever name, and stop all DEI-based policies,' the letter read. Other demands included: Allowing the government to audit the viewpoints of students, faculty and staff and forcing the university to hire people Giving leadership power to those 'most devoted' to enacting the changes in the letter, and stripping it away from those who aren't Forcing the university to deploy campus police to enact 'discipline' on students who disobey policies approved by the government Sharing all hiring data with the government, which would be subjected to an audit Preventing admission of international students the government deems 'hostile' to 'American values' In renaming the office, Charleston referred to findings in a campus survey on inclusion and belonging called the 'Pulse Survey.' In an article discussing the survey's findings in the Harvard Gazette, Harvard's official news outlet, Charleston revealed that it was Garber's decision to rename the office. 'I started in 2020 as the chief diversity and inclusion office, leading the Office for Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging. Given the high-level outcomes of the last Pulse Survey, President Garber decided to rename the portfolio to Community and Campus Life to alight with its current focus — building community and increasing belonging,' Charleston is quoted as saying. Charleston said in her Monday email to the campus community that her office's primary objectives would be: Providing a forum for schools to come together to share best practices on how to build a culture of belonging for all members of the Harvard Community. Expanding and supporting programs that give members of our community greater opportunities to engage across difference. Enhancing support for first-generation and low-income students. This is when a judge will hear arguments in Harvard v. Trump administration lawsuit Court battle over Harvard funding freeze to extend into summer Harvard changes admissions policy, offering foreign students a 'backup plan' Closed Central Mass. college makes 'crucial' gift as one of its final acts How Trump vs. Harvard is a page out of the Project 2025 playbook Read the original article on MassLive.
