Should College Presidents Criticize Political Candidates?

With the 2024 presidential race in its early stages, some college leaders have raised concerns about candidates that they see as a threat not only to higher education but also to democracy. They have outlined those concerns in op-eds, public testimony and statements—some vague, others pointed. But this year many college presidents have remained conspicuously silent in the face of conservative attacks on higher education across the country, which have included everything from removing books and imposing curricular restrictions to defunding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and going after accreditors.