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cover of episode The Harvard Plan: The Finale

The Harvard Plan: The Finale

2024/12/20
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On the Media
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People
A
Archibald Cox
B
Benjamin Hett
C
Claudine Gay
D
Danielle Hawley
D
Donald Trump
批评CHIPS Act，倡导使用关税而非补贴来促进美国国内芯片制造。
H
Hillary Burns
I
Ilya Marritz
J
J.D. Vance
N
Noah Feldman
R
Randall Kennedy
S
Sam Lesson
Topics
Michael Loewinger&Brooke Gladstone: 本期节目探讨了哈佛大学的领导力危机以及对其数十年多元化努力的反弹，这并非始于或终于其第一位黑人校长去年的辞职。多元化在20世纪70年代并非重要的政治术语，融合是一个更大的术语。 Ilya Marritz: 哈佛大学校园对哈佛首位也是唯一一位黑人校长的下台反应平淡，令人意外。Claudine Gay 校长短暂任期失败的原因有两个：一是哈佛大学多元化概念的悠久历史，二是当前的政治环境。 Claudine Gay: 即使目的地不明确，面对无法忍受的环境，人们也会选择重新开始。 Randall Kennedy: 尽管Claudine Gay的任期很短且以糟糕的方式结束，但一位黑人女性担任美国最著名大学的校长这一事实不应该被遗忘。促成她担任总统的社会力量总体而言是一件好事。 Noah Feldman: 哈佛大学关于多元化的讨论可以追溯到20世纪初，当时讨论的焦点是犹太人。20世纪初，大量犹太人涌入美国，导致哈佛大学对犹太学生比例的增加感到担忧。哈佛大学最初试图限制犹太学生的数量，但未能成功，于是采用了“多元化战略”，即从全国各地招收学生，从而间接减少犹太学生人数。哈佛大学的多元化策略在一定程度上成功地减少了犹太学生的人数，并且这一理念在几十年后再次在重要的最高法院案件中发挥作用。鲍威尔法官的单人意见最终决定了巴克案的结果，而哈佛大学和阿奇博尔德·考克斯教授为种族意识录取提供了蓝图。 Archibald Cox: 不存在一种种族盲目的筛选方法能够招收到足够多的少数族裔学生进入全国的大学和职业领域。在20世纪70年代，多元化还不是一个重要的政治或文化术语；融合是一个更大的术语。 Danielle Hawley: 哈佛大学黑人校友周末活动更像是一场庆祝，而非清算或家庭对话。有一种相反的运动正在兴起，试图将多元化彻底排除在大学的目标之外。如果联邦政府停止资助，许多大学将无法维持其财政援助系统。大学现在被一些人视为对共和国和价值观的损害。她认为大多数大学校长不会和她采取相同的立场。 Sam Lesson: 真正的言论自由在许多校园里受到了限制，保守派的声音被压制。试图通过大学录取政策来解决更大的社会问题是一个错误。取消世袭入学是一个值得讨论的话题。当今的学生在网上长大，这使得在课堂上实现学生互相学习的环境变得更加困难。问题不在于社交媒体本身，而在于其背后的技术及其所赋能的东西。从实际角度来看，很难为校园里发生的一些活动辩护。J.D. 凡斯的言论虽然激烈，但在某种程度上并非完全不合理。 Donald Trump: 特朗普计划解雇现有的大学认证机构，并任命新的机构来执行真正的标准。特朗普政府可能会利用各种手段来施压大学，例如调查、对捐赠基金征税以及削减研究经费。 J.D. Vance: 为了实现其目标，必须积极攻击美国的大学。将“红色药丸”的概念应用于对大学的批评，认为一旦人们意识到知识传播和公共政策运作的方式，就很难再忽视它。大学中的自由主义者行为过激。引用尼克松总统的话“教授是敌人”来结束他的演讲。认为大学是由左翼基金会控制的，纳税人应该对大学资金的使用有发言权。 Hillary Burns: 特朗普将大学认证体系视为其“秘密武器”，这使得各大学感到不安。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why did the concept of diversity in higher education originate at Harvard?

The concept of diversity in higher education originated at Harvard in the early 20th century as a strategy to limit the number of Jewish students. President A. Lawrence Lowell implemented a diversity plan to make Harvard a national university, drawing students from all over the country, which indirectly reduced the number of Jewish students.

Why did the Supreme Court's 1978 Bakke case have a significant impact on diversity in higher education?

The Bakke case was significant because Justice Lewis Powell's opinion endorsed Harvard's diversity admissions policy, which considered race as one factor among many. This set a legal precedent for race-conscious admissions, leading to the widespread adoption of diversity as a core principle in higher education.

Why did Claudine Gay's presidency at Harvard face significant criticism and backlash?

Claudine Gay's presidency faced significant criticism and backlash for several reasons, including her being labeled a 'diversity hire' and the broader political climate that was hostile to diversity initiatives. Her tenure coincided with the Supreme Court's 2023 decision to strike down race-based affirmative action, which further fueled attacks on her leadership.

Why is the concept of diversity under threat in American universities?

The concept of diversity is under threat in American universities due to political attacks, particularly from conservative leaders like J.D. Vance and Donald Trump. They view universities as hostile institutions that need to be 'attacked' and reformed, often by reducing or eliminating diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Why are universities concerned about the potential actions of the Trump-Vance administration?

Universities are concerned about the potential actions of the Trump-Vance administration because they may face significant financial and regulatory pressures, such as increased endowment taxes, cuts to research funding, and investigations. These actions could threaten academic freedom and the ability of universities to provide a diverse and inclusive education.

Why did Harvard make changes to its admissions and institutional policies recently?

Harvard made changes to its admissions and institutional policies, such as eliminating diversity statements for faculty applicants and adopting a policy on institutional voice, to align with the incoming Trump-Vance administration's priorities. These changes are seen as a strategic move to protect the university from potential political and financial pressures.

Chapters
This chapter explores the complex history of diversity at Harvard, starting with the university's efforts to limit Jewish enrollment in the early 20th century and continuing through the Supreme Court case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. It examines how the concept of diversity has evolved and been used, both to promote inclusion and to maintain exclusionary practices.
  • Harvard's early diversity efforts were used to limit Jewish enrollment.
  • The Bakke case established the legal precedent for race-conscious admissions.
  • Diversity has been used as a tool for both inclusion and exclusion.

Shownotes Transcript

Donald Trump has a big plan to remake American universities. On this week’s On the Media, hear how the distinctly American idea of “diversity” has fallen out of favor—from higher education to the Supreme Court. 

Reporter Ilya Marritz explains how the deep history of Harvard and the concept of “diversity” is the hidden subtext for much of the recent strife. In the past half-century, the academy (and the business world) embraced the idea of diversity as a social good–an idea developed at Harvard and endorsed by the Supreme Court, until the latter ended race-based affirmative action in 2023. This episode also looks at what’s in store for universities as the incoming Trump-Vance administration promises to pressure them to change curricula.

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