When Presidents Get Pink Slips: Higher Ed Faces "Existential Crisis"

The battle over diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education has reached a critical tipping point. What began as targeted attacks on elite institutions has evolved into an existential threat affecting colleges and universities of every type across America.When University of Virginia President James Ryan was forced to resign at the end of June in the face of pressure from the Trump administration for allegedly failing to dismantle DEI programs aggressively enough, it signaled a dramatic escalation in federal intrusion into academic governance. This unprecedented move follows executive orders requiring institutions to eliminate "race-based" or "identity-based" programs—without clearly defining what those terms mean. In this important discussion hosted by Lande Ajose, Sarah Brown from the Chronicle of Higher Education and Angel Pérez, CEO of the National Association of College Admission Counseling, explore what's at stake when higher education becomes a political battleground, and how institutions are fighting to preserve their core mission amid unprecedented challenges.Sign up here so we can keep you posted on future podcasts on how education leaders are responding to the mounting threats against public schools In the United States.