Christopher Rufo

How can we take away their status? to the point that we're causing so much pain to the decision makers, in this case, the members of the Harvard Corporation, so that they have to change.

How can we take away their status? to the point that we're causing so much pain to the decision makers, in this case, the members of the Harvard Corporation, so that they have to change.

Yeah. So there's a short term answer and there's a long term answer. In the short term, I'd like to see the abolition of discriminatory DEI programs. I'd like to see colorblind admissions and a requirement that the universities publish disaggregated admissions and class rank data at the end of each year. So that you can see it for yourself.

Yeah. So there's a short term answer and there's a long term answer. In the short term, I'd like to see the abolition of discriminatory DEI programs. I'd like to see colorblind admissions and a requirement that the universities publish disaggregated admissions and class rank data at the end of each year. So that you can see it for yourself.

Yeah, so that American taxpayers can have at least a proxy to determine whether or not universities are in the ballpark. of colorblind admissions. I'd like to see an overhaul of university hiring so that you have more philosophical balance on the faculty and you have an end to, again, kind of illegal discrimination in hiring and promotions. I think also standards of civil discourse.

Yeah, so that American taxpayers can have at least a proxy to determine whether or not universities are in the ballpark. of colorblind admissions. I'd like to see an overhaul of university hiring so that you have more philosophical balance on the faculty and you have an end to, again, kind of illegal discrimination in hiring and promotions. I think also standards of civil discourse.

So for example, there should be significant federal financial penalties for any university that allows masked protesters to take over campus spaces, to any university that allows building occupations, illegal encampments, the disruption of the educational program, or violence as we've seen, for example, in the wake of the Hamas terror attack against Israel.

So for example, there should be significant federal financial penalties for any university that allows masked protesters to take over campus spaces, to any university that allows building occupations, illegal encampments, the disruption of the educational program, or violence as we've seen, for example, in the wake of the Hamas terror attack against Israel.

Deplatforming and shouting down speakers, that kind of thing. There should be strict penalties for that because we can't have a good university system without basic standards of civil discourse.

Deplatforming and shouting down speakers, that kind of thing. There should be strict penalties for that because we can't have a good university system without basic standards of civil discourse.

Yeah, I mean, look, universities are ultimately going to have to decide what they put into the course catalog. I don't think that the federal government should be micromanaging academic offerings to that extent. I think that's counterproductive. I think it's getting too far into the weeds.

Yeah, I mean, look, universities are ultimately going to have to decide what they put into the course catalog. I don't think that the federal government should be micromanaging academic offerings to that extent. I think that's counterproductive. I think it's getting too far into the weeds.

It's a little bit nuanced. So what I would say from the federal government perspective, the most successful policy reform areas are on university administration. That's where we have the most public support. That's where we have the most legal authority. That's where we have really the most kind of defensible territory for engaging in these reforms.

It's a little bit nuanced. So what I would say from the federal government perspective, the most successful policy reform areas are on university administration. That's where we have the most public support. That's where we have the most legal authority. That's where we have really the most kind of defensible territory for engaging in these reforms.

That said, I think universities have to reform policy. the structure of their departments. They have to reform their course offerings. And as a trustee at the New College of Florida, which is one of the public universities in the state of Florida. Right. Governor Ron DeSantis asked you to be on the board. That's right. And so we did these administrative reforms. We fired the president.

That said, I think universities have to reform policy. the structure of their departments. They have to reform their course offerings. And as a trustee at the New College of Florida, which is one of the public universities in the state of Florida. Right. Governor Ron DeSantis asked you to be on the board. That's right. And so we did these administrative reforms. We fired the president.

We got rid of the provost. We turned over the whole administration. We abolished the DEI department. We implemented a policy of colorblind equality. All of those reforms, I think, are much needed. But we went further than that, and I think with good reason. And we looked at our course offerings. We looked at our departments.

We got rid of the provost. We turned over the whole administration. We abolished the DEI department. We implemented a policy of colorblind equality. All of those reforms, I think, are much needed. But we went further than that, and I think with good reason. And we looked at our course offerings. We looked at our departments.

And we did a systematic study to just say, hey, which programs and departments are offering students a good value? Which programs and departments are oriented towards truth rather than ideology? And we concluded that our gender studies program did not meet any of those basic thresholds. And so we abolished the department, which established a new precedent.

And we did a systematic study to just say, hey, which programs and departments are offering students a good value? Which programs and departments are oriented towards truth rather than ideology? And we concluded that our gender studies program did not meet any of those basic thresholds. And so we abolished the department, which established a new precedent.