Keeping academia free of politics

Indian student Ranjani Srinivasan self-deports (link). I have been talking about group activism on academic campuses for a long time. It eventually leads to political groups using students as cannon fodder and eventually ruins the institutions. This is how traditional universities in India have been ruined. American universities should learn from their mistakes and course-correct before it is too late.

I have seen many posts on LinkedIn recently complaining about funding cuts in the US by the new government. This is sad, as climate change is one of the important issues of our time. However, activism is one of the reasons for this outcome.

Let me clarify what I mean by group activism. It means a call for action by a group of people, such as making specific policy changes. It may or may not always be political. However, there is a high chance that group activism will become political, as political parties in a democracy are always interested in vote counts.

I am not against advocacy at all. In my opinion, the main job of academia is to facilitate the exchange of ideas. Everyone on an academic campus should have the right to put forward his or her viewpoint if it does not violate the rules of the country. Events should be organized to facilitate debates and discussions.

However, an academic institution should not allow:

1. Protest marches and violence.

2. Obstructing someone from studying or teaching.

Any group involved in such activities should be delegitimized.