Over 230 colleges, universities and scholarly societies  signed onto a public statement yesterday objecting to Trump’s “overreach” and “political interference.”  In a public statement on the web page of the American Colleges, Universities and Scholarly Societies, ( AAC&U), it said  that Trump is now “endangering American higher education.”  The statement also said that the AAC&U is “open to constructive reform and does not oppose legitimate government oversight.”  But the coalition does oppose  undue “government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live and work on our campuses.”  The statement went on to say that the coalition  members reject the coersive use of public research policy.

Four Maine colleges signed onto this public statement.  They are:  Bowdoin College, Bates College, Colby College and the University of New England.

A careful examination of the list of institutions of higher education signing onto the public statement revealed  that there was a serious lack of institutions of higher education based in the southern states of the US.  For example, the University of Virginia was not on the list.  Neither was the University of South Carolina.  Curious to this blogger was that George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia was not on the list (my alma mater).  A telephone call placed to the communcations department this afternoon at George Mason was troubling.  The office manager in that department had never heard of this public statement.  John was at a loss as to where to turn to answer my question: “Why didn’t George Mason sign onto this public statement?  This blogger got tired of being kept on “hold.” Finally, when John took me off hold I left an email address with him in the event someone had a response to the question:  “Why didn’t George Mason sign onto this public statement?

“Why?”