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Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Universities should foster debate and critical thinking. SB 37 will stifle that
Several years ago, on the last day of my argumentation and debate class at the University of Wisconsin, where I taught before coming to the University of Texas, a student approached me. 'The semester is over,' said the student, who sat in the front row with a bumper sticker for then-Republican Gov. Scott Walker on his computer. 'Will you tell me what your personal politics are?' 'To be honest, I'm very far left of the Democratic party,' I told him. 'Damn,' he said, 'I could've sworn you were a Libertarian.' My job as professor is to treat my students with respect. This student did the work: He defended his views with evidence, engaged with material from diverse viewpoints and learned the best scholarship my field had to offer, regardless of whether it lent itself to particular political conclusions. Column: Under SB 37, Texas universities will focus on educating, not indoctrinating | Opinion People from both sides of the political spectrum have accepted the premise that universities silence students. Research partly corroborates this view. A Knight Foundation-Ipsos study on campus free speech found that roughly two-thirds of students self-censor in classroom discussions, especially when the topics involve race, gender, LGBTQ issues or religion. That same study found 60% of students said that campus climate contributes to the stifling of free speech, but the nature of that climate is not defined. The Right has taken this as evidence that conservative students suffer, but the Knight study found that Black students, who are more likely to have liberal or left-leaning politics, are the most likely to report difficulty using their free speech rights. What are we to make of this information? There have always been students who don't feel safe sharing their views. The largest constituency of students who still feel that way are the ones that have historically felt that way. This certainly tracks with my experience as a university educator for the past 25 years. What is missing in analyses about campus free speech and safety is a discussion of power. Many college students are white, and Black students are a small minority. When it comes to national power, it is still unusual to find people of color in positions of power, from the government to the lectern to the board room. When the group you identify with does not have structural power, it is easy to understand why you wouldn't feel safe expressing yourself. This is not the situation that white students find themselves in on campuses, regardless of whether their opinions are in the minority. This is also why classes with Black professors who intervene in that power structure are vital. What to know: House moves to advance SB 37 on faculty senate, core curriculum review. Professors are not here to validate every opinion that may exist on a given issue. My role as professor is to create an affirming environment for students to learn how to defend their views with evidence, to critically interrogate the views they hold, and to learn the best scholarship in my field of study. My job is also to teach students how to think critically, to write well, to solve problems, and to understand those who are different from them. The Texas Legislature is poised to pass Senate Bill 37, which would place ideological litmus tests on courses in the state core curriculum. This proposal is based, at least in part, on the belief that conservative views are being stifled at our universities by professors like me. I vehemently disagree with this premise. I encourage our elected officials to use their critical thinking skills to discern what a university education is for. If it is to prevent students from engaging with diverse viewpoints in their required curriculum, then our democracy is truly at risk. Karma R. Chávez is the chair of the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies at the University of Texas. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Universities should foster debate. SB 37 will stifle that | Opinion
The Mainichi
4 days ago
- Business
- The Mainichi
The US academic partnership with China, under strain for years, faces its biggest threat
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Frayed by tariff wars and political battles, the academic ties between the U.S. and China are now facing their greatest threat yet as the Trump administration promises to revoke visas for an unknown number of Chinese students and tighten future visa screening. In a brief statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will "aggressively" revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Community Party or studying "critical fields." Rubio's statement threatened to widen a chasm between the two nations, building on a yearslong Republican campaign to rid U.S. campuses of Chinese influence and insulate America's research from its strongest economic and military competitor. Rubio's announcement has rattled Chinese students and drawn swift condemnation from the Chinese government and some U.S. lawmakers. It also raised alarm at U.S. campuses that host more than 275,000 students from China and benefit from their tuition payments. Chinese graduate student Kesong Cao, 26, decided to abandon his studies in the U.S. because of Trump's policies. "I do not feel welcome anymore," said Cao, a student of cognitive psychology at the University of Wisconsin, who was waiting at Seattle's airport Thursday to board a flight home to China. Cao spent eight years in the U.S. and once dreamed of staying as a professor. "Now it seems like that dream is falling apart," he said. "It's a good time to jump ship and think about what I can give back to my own country." The scope of the visa crackdown wasn't immediately clear, with no explanation on what would constitute ties to the Communist Party. But the impact could be significant if the government goes after any student with family members in the party, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. Academic ties with China were built over decades Academic leaders in the U.S. have spent years trying to tamp down growing hostility against Chinese students and scholars, saying the benefits of the relationship outweigh the risks. Collaboration between the countries produces tens of thousands of scientific papers a year, yielding major advancements in fields from earthquake prediction to disease treatment. The academic alliance has been built up over decades since both sides resumed diplomatic ties in the 1970s. Chinese researchers are the most frequent international co-authors for U.S. researchers in science and engineering journal articles. Both sides are research powerhouses. Any move that prevents the U.S. from welcoming the smartest people in the world is an "extremely bad idea," said L. Rafael Reif, a former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who pushed back against anti-China sentiment during President Donald Trump's first term. "This administration will be known historically as the one that began the decline of the U.S. by completely failing to understand the importance of science and technology -- and the importance of gathering the most talented human capital from the world to work together towards a thriving United States," Reif said in a statement to The Associated Press. Erica Zhang, who graduated from George Washington University in December and is awaiting approval of her green card, said the new policy is "horrifying." "This is racism, any division based on identity and nationality is racism," Zhang said. "It is just a start, it will expand to a bigger group of Chinese, not just Chinese students." During his first term, Trump shortened the visas of some Chinese graduate students from five years to one, and he signed an order barring Chinese students from schools with direct links to the People's Liberation Army. More recently, the administration has taken sweeping action against international students. It revoked the legal status for thousands of foreign students in the U.S. this spring before reversing itself. The administration is also trying to block Harvard from enrolling for students, a move put on hold by a judge. David Lampton, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, is worried the U.S. will lose talent. "American universities and society have always successfully relied on their single-minded search for the world's best brains," he said. Yet critics say it's a lopsided relationship that primarily benefits China. Some conservatives say the exchanges are a US security risk A State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, told reporters Thursday that the U.S. will not tolerate the Chinese Communist Party's "exploitation of U.S universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection or repress voices of opposition." House Republicans issued a report last year finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding has gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China's academic collaborations served as "Trojan horses for technology transfer," accusing China of "insidious" exploitation of academic cooperation. At least three American schools have ended their partnerships in China, including the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Eastern Michigan University was the latest to terminate a Chinese partnership, just hours before Rubio's announcement. Critics also point to the imbalance in student exchange -- only a few hundred U.S. students study abroad in China a year, compared to about 370,000 from China who studied in the U.S. in 2018. President Xi Jinping in 2023 launched a campaign to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit China on exchange and study programs. U.S. universities themselves have come to rely on Chinese students. Even as numbers level off, Chinese students remain the second-largest group of international students in the U.S. behind those from India. Foreign students are typically charged higher tuition rates, subsidizing the education for American students. Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, said the visa policy would "adversely and profoundly" affect U.S. higher education, research institutions, scientific discovery and startups. "The real story isn't just about visa numbers -- it's also about how this changes the competitive landscape for talent, innovation and economic growth in America. Treating every Chinese student as a security threat distorts facts and fuels discrimination against Chinese Americans," said Locke, now chair of Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese Americans focused on U.S.-China relations and issued faced by Chinese citizens in the U.S.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
The US academic partnership with China, under strain for years, faces its biggest threat
Frayed by tariff wars and political battles, the academic ties between the U.S. and China are now facing their greatest threat yet as the Trump administration promises to revoke visas for an unknown number of Chinese students and tighten future visa screening. In a brief statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will "aggressively" revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or studying "critical fields." Rubio's statement threatened to widen a chasm between the two nations, building on a yearslong Republican campaign to rid U.S. campuses of Chinese influence and insulate America's research from its strongest economic and military competitor. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cara Membantu Orang Terkasih Menghadapi Limfoma Limfoma Pelajari Undo Rubio's announcement has rattled Chinese students and drawn swift condemnation from the Chinese government and some U.S. lawmakers. The Chinese Embassy on Thursday said it "lodged a solemn demarche with the U.S. side without delay" and urged the U.S. to correct its mistake and protect the rights of Chinese students. The visa policy also raised alarm at U.S. campuses that host more than 275,000 students from China and benefit from their tuition payments. Chinese graduate student Kesong Cao, 26, decided to abandon his studies in the U.S. because of Trump's policies. Live Events "I do not feel welcome anymore," said Cao, a student of cognitive psychology at the University of Wisconsin , who was waiting at Seattle's airport Thursday to board a flight home to China. Cao spent eight years in the U.S. and once dreamed of staying as a professor. "Now it seems like that dream is falling apart," he said. "It's a good time to jump ship and think about what I can give back to my own country." The scope of the visa crackdown wasn't immediately clear, with no explanation on what would constitute ties to the Communist Party. But the impact could be significant if the government goes after any student with family members in the party, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. Academic ties with China were built over decades Academic leaders in the U.S. have spent years trying to tamp down growing hostility against Chinese students and scholars, saying the benefits of the relationship outweigh the risks. Collaboration between the countries produces tens of thousands of scientific papers a year, yielding major advancements in fields from earthquake prediction to disease treatment. The academic alliance has been built up over decades since both sides resumed diplomatic ties in the 1970s. Chinese researchers are the most frequent international co-authors for U.S. researchers in science and engineering journal articles. Both sides are research powerhouses. Any move that prevents the U.S. from welcoming the smartest people in the world is an "extremely bad idea," said L. Rafael Reif, a former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who pushed back against anti-China sentiment during President Donald Trump's first term. "This administration will be known historically as the one that began the decline of the U.S. by completely failing to understand the importance of science and technology - and the importance of gathering the most talented human capital from the world to work together towards a thriving United States," Reif said in a statement to The Associated Press. Erica Zhang, who graduated from George Washington University in December and is awaiting approval of her green card, said the new policy is "horrifying." "This is racism, any division based on identity and nationality is racism," Zhang said. "It is just a start, it will expand to a bigger group of Chinese, not just Chinese students." During his first term, Trump shortened the visas of some Chinese graduate students from five years to one, and he signed an order barring Chinese students from schools with direct links to the People's Liberation Army. More recently, the administration has taken sweeping action against international students. It revoked the legal status for thousands of foreign students in the U.S. this spring before reversing itself. The administration is also trying to block Harvard from enrolling for students, a move put on hold by a judge. David Lampton, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University , is worried the U.S. will lose talent. "American universities and society have always successfully relied on their single-minded search for the world's best brains," he said. Yet critics say it's a lopsided relationship that primarily benefits China. Some conservatives say the exchanges are a US security risk A State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, told reporters Thursday that the U.S. will not tolerate the Chinese Communist Party's "exploitation of U.S. universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection or repress voices of opposition." House Republicans issued a report last year finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding has gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China's academic collaborations served as "Trojan horses for technology transfer," accusing China of "insidious" exploitation of academic cooperation. At least three American schools have ended their partnerships in China, including the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Eastern Michigan University was the latest to terminate a Chinese partnership, just hours before Rubio's announcement. Critics also point to the imbalance in student exchange - only a few hundred U.S. students study abroad in China a year, compared to about 370,000 from China who studied in the U.S. in 2018. President Xi Jinping, in 2023, launched a campaign to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit China on exchange and study programs. U.S. universities themselves have come to rely on Chinese students. Even as numbers level off, Chinese students remain the second-largest group of international students in the U.S. behind those from India. Foreign students are typically charged higher tuition rates, subsidizing the education for American students. Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, said the visa policy would "adversely and profoundly" affect U.S. higher education, research institutions, scientific discovery and startups. "The real story isn't just about visa numbers - it's also about how this changes the competitive landscape for talent, innovation and economic growth in America. Treating every Chinese student as a security threat distorts facts and fuels discrimination against Chinese Americans," said Locke, now chair of the Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese Americans focused on U.S.-China relations and issues faced by Chinese citizens in the U.S.
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
The US academic partnership with China, under strain for years, faces its biggest threat
WASHINGTON (AP) — Frayed by tariff wars and political battles, the academic ties between the U.S. and China are now facing their greatest threat yet as the Trump administration promises to revoke visas for an unknown number of Chinese students and tighten future visa screening. In a brief statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will 'aggressively' revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Community Party or studying 'critical fields.' Rubio's statement threatened to widen a chasm between the two nations, building on a yearslong Republican campaign to rid U.S. campuses of Chinese influence and insulate America's research from its strongest economic and military competitor. Rubio's announcement has rattled Chinese students and drawn swift condemnation from the Chinese government and some U.S. lawmakers. It also raised alarm at U.S. campuses that host more than 275,000 students from China and benefit from their tuition payments. Chinese graduate student Kesong Cao, 26, decided to abandon his studies in the U.S. because of Trump's policies. 'I do not feel welcome anymore,' said Cao, a student of cognitive psychology at the University of Wisconsin, who was waiting at Seattle's airport Thursday to board a flight home to China. Cao spent eight years in the U.S. and once dreamed of staying as a professor. 'Now it seems like that dream is falling apart,' he said. 'It's a good time to jump ship and think about what I can give back to my own country.' The scope of the visa crackdown wasn't immediately clear, with no explanation on what would constitute ties to the Communist Party. But the impact could be significant if the government goes after any student with family members in the party, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. Academic ties with China were built over decades Academic leaders in the U.S. have spent years trying to tamp down growing hostility against Chinese students and scholars, saying the benefits of the relationship outweigh the risks. Collaboration between the countries produces tens of thousands of scientific papers a year, yielding major advancements in fields from earthquake prediction to disease treatment. The academic alliance has been built up over decades since both sides resumed diplomatic ties in the 1970s. Chinese researchers are the most frequent international co-authors for U.S. researchers in science and engineering journal articles. Both sides are research powerhouses. Any move that prevents the U.S. from welcoming the smartest people in the world is an 'extremely bad idea,' said L. Rafael Reif, a former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who pushed back against anti-China sentiment during President Donald Trump's first term. 'This administration will be known historically as the one that began the decline of the U.S. by completely failing to understand the importance of science and technology — and the importance of gathering the most talented human capital from the world to work together towards a thriving United States,' Reif said in a statement to The Associated Press. Erica Zhang, who graduated from George Washington University in December and is awaiting approval of her green card, said the new policy is 'horrifying.' "This is racism, any division based on identity and nationality is racism,' Zhang said. 'It is just a start, it will expand to a bigger group of Chinese, not just Chinese students.' During his first term, Trump shortened the visas of some Chinese graduate students from five years to one, and he signed an order barring Chinese students from schools with direct links to the People's Liberation Army. More recently, the administration has taken sweeping action against international students. It revoked the legal status for thousands of foreign students in the U.S. this spring before reversing itself. The administration is also trying to block Harvard from enrolling for students, a move put on hold by a judge. David Lampton, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, is worried the U.S. will lose talent. 'American universities and society have always successfully relied on their single-minded search for the world's best brains,' he said. Yet critics say it's a lopsided relationship that primarily benefits China. Some conservatives say the exchanges are a US security risk A State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, told reporters Thursday that the U.S. "will not tolerate the CCP's exploitation of U.S universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection or repress voices of opposition.' House Republicans issued a report last year finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding has gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China's academic collaborations served as 'Trojan horses for technology transfer,' accusing China of 'insidious' exploitation of academic cooperation. At least three American schools have ended their partnerships in China, including the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Eastern Michigan University was the latest to terminate a Chinese partnership, just hours before Rubio's announcement. Critics also point to the imbalance in student exchange — only a few hundred U.S. students study abroad in China a year, compared to about 370,000 from China who studied in the U.S. in 2018. President Xi Jinping in 2023 launched a campaign to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit China on exchange and study programs. U.S. universities themselves have come to rely on Chinese students. Even as numbers level off, Chinese students remain the second-largest group of international students in the U.S. behind those from India. Foreign students are typically charged higher tuition rates, subsidizing the education for American students. Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, said the visa policy would 'adversely and profoundly' affect U.S. higher education, research institutions, scientific discovery and startups. 'The real story isn't just about visa numbers — it's also about how this changes the competitive landscape for talent, innovation and economic growth in America. Treating every Chinese student as a security threat distorts facts and fuels discrimination against Chinese Americans,' said Locke, now chair of Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese Americans focused on U.S.-China relations and issued faced by Chinese citizens in the U.S. ___ ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The US academic partnership with China, under strain for years, faces its biggest threat
WASHINGTON (AP) — Frayed by tariff wars and political battles, the academic ties between the U.S. and China are now facing their greatest threat yet as the Trump administration promises to revoke visas for an unknown number of Chinese students and tighten future visa screening. In a brief statement Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. will 'aggressively' revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Community Party or studying 'critical fields.' Rubio's statement threatened to widen a chasm between the two nations, building on a yearslong Republican campaign to rid U.S. campuses of Chinese influence and insulate America's research from its strongest economic and military competitor. Rubio's announcement has rattled Chinese students and drawn swift condemnation from the Chinese government and some U.S. lawmakers. It also raised alarm at U.S. campuses that host more than 275,000 students from China and benefit from their tuition payments. Chinese graduate student Kesong Cao, 26, decided to abandon his studies in the U.S. because of Trump's policies. 'I do not feel welcome anymore,' said Cao, a student of cognitive psychology at the University of Wisconsin, who was waiting at Seattle's airport Thursday to board a flight home to China. Cao spent eight years in the U.S. and once dreamed of staying as a professor. 'Now it seems like that dream is falling apart,' he said. 'It's a good time to jump ship and think about what I can give back to my own country.' The scope of the visa crackdown wasn't immediately clear, with no explanation on what would constitute ties to the Communist Party. But the impact could be significant if the government goes after any student with family members in the party, said Sun Yun, director of the China program at the Washington-based think tank Stimson Center. Academic ties with China were built over decades Academic leaders in the U.S. have spent years trying to tamp down growing hostility against Chinese students and scholars, saying the benefits of the relationship outweigh the risks. Collaboration between the countries produces tens of thousands of scientific papers a year, yielding major advancements in fields from earthquake prediction to disease treatment. The academic alliance has been built up over decades since both sides resumed diplomatic ties in the 1970s. Chinese researchers are the most frequent international co-authors for U.S. researchers in science and engineering journal articles. Both sides are research powerhouses. Any move that prevents the U.S. from welcoming the smartest people in the world is an 'extremely bad idea,' said L. Rafael Reif, a former president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who pushed back against anti-China sentiment during President Donald Trump's first term. 'This administration will be known historically as the one that began the decline of the U.S. by completely failing to understand the importance of science and technology — and the importance of gathering the most talented human capital from the world to work together towards a thriving United States,' Reif said in a statement to The Associated Press. Erica Zhang, who graduated from George Washington University in December and is awaiting approval of her green card, said the new policy is 'horrifying.' "This is racism, any division based on identity and nationality is racism,' Zhang said. 'It is just a start, it will expand to a bigger group of Chinese, not just Chinese students.' During his first term, Trump shortened the visas of some Chinese graduate students from five years to one, and he signed an order barring Chinese students from schools with direct links to the People's Liberation Army. More recently, the administration has taken sweeping action against international students. It revoked the legal status for thousands of foreign students in the U.S. this spring before reversing itself. The administration is also trying to block Harvard from enrolling for students, a move put on hold by a judge. David Lampton, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, is worried the U.S. will lose talent. 'American universities and society have always successfully relied on their single-minded search for the world's best brains,' he said. Yet critics say it's a lopsided relationship that primarily benefits China. Some conservatives say the exchanges are a US security risk A State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, told reporters Thursday that the U.S. "will not tolerate the CCP's exploitation of U.S universities or theft of U.S. research, intellectual property or technologies to grow its military power, conduct intelligence collection or repress voices of opposition.' House Republicans issued a report last year finding that hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding has gone toward research that ultimately boosted Chinese advancements in artificial intelligence, semiconductor technology and nuclear weapons. The report argued China's academic collaborations served as 'Trojan horses for technology transfer,' accusing China of 'insidious' exploitation of academic cooperation. At least three American schools have ended their partnerships in China, including the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Eastern Michigan University was the latest to terminate a Chinese partnership, just hours before Rubio's announcement. Critics also point to the imbalance in student exchange — only a few hundred U.S. students study abroad in China a year, compared to about 370,000 from China who studied in the U.S. in 2018. President Xi Jinping in 2023 launched a campaign to invite 50,000 young Americans to visit China on exchange and study programs. U.S. universities themselves have come to rely on Chinese students. Even as numbers level off, Chinese students remain the second-largest group of international students in the U.S. behind those from India. Foreign students are typically charged higher tuition rates, subsidizing the education for American students. Gary Locke, a former U.S. ambassador to China, said the visa policy would 'adversely and profoundly' affect U.S. higher education, research institutions, scientific discovery and startups. 'The real story isn't just about visa numbers — it's also about how this changes the competitive landscape for talent, innovation and economic growth in America. Treating every Chinese student as a security threat distorts facts and fuels discrimination against Chinese Americans,' said Locke, now chair of Committee of 100, a group of prominent Chinese Americans focused on U.S.-China relations and issued faced by Chinese citizens in the U.S. ___ Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco, Matthew Lee and Fu Ting in Washington, and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
