UC faculty protest Trump's cuts to higher education funding

Hundreds of faculty, staff, and students from the University of California gathered at UC Berkeley to protest the Trump administration’s actions against higher education. They are concerned about cuts to university research funding and a crackdown on diversity programs. The protest occurred at Sproul Plaza, where many expressed worries about government investigations into over 50 universities for alleged racial discrimination and antisemitism. These investigations have raised fears about free speech and the targeting of international students. UC Berkeley history professor James Vernon highlighted the importance of academic freedom in democracy. The Trump administration plans to eliminate billions in medical research funding. The University of California is also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for creating a hostile environment for Jewish students. Other campuses, including UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, are facing civil rights probes related to antisemitism. Earlier this month, the administration blocked over $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University for not addressing harassment incidents involving Jewish students. On a similar note, federal funding was halted for the University of Pennsylvania due to its policies on transgender athletes. The protests came in light of recent events, including the arrest of an activist at Columbia University. Some UC Berkeley faculty fear similar actions may be taken against their campus. They demanded university leaders to publicly oppose the administration’s attacks on education and to support affected community members. At a UC Board of Regents meeting, UC President Michael Drake warned that reduced funding could disrupt significant academic research and lead to job losses. He announced plans for a hiring freeze in response to the potential funding cuts. Faculty members urged collaboration among universities to defend academic freedom and civil rights. They stressed that campuses must unite against what they see as un-American attacks on higher education.