From the Newsstands: This story appeared in The Eagle's April 2025 print edition. You can find the digital version here.
The Eagle’s editorial board is composed of its staff but does not represent every individual staffer’s views. Rather, it provides an insight into how The Eagle, as an editorially independent institution, responds to issues on campus.
The atmosphere at American University has shifted since President Donald Trump took office. Energy has become uncertain and frustrating, especially as the government and the University fail to step up for students.
The Trump administration’s new policies have already begun affecting University students directly, from federal hiring freezes causing students to lose internships or jobs to dismantling departments students may want to work in. Students who once saw a future in the government are now forced to rethink their career paths entirely, and those who have lost opportunities are left wondering whether D.C. and the University are still places for changemakers and public servants.
Despite the setbacks, students have remained on the frontlines, fighting the Trump administration with little to no backing from the University. We have students sending power packs to Ukraine, advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion policies and organizing protests. All the while, the push to dismantle home rule in D.C. has left students and D.C. residents alike wondering whether democracy can thrive in a city with no mayor or functioning government. And the University’s administration has remained largely quiet.
Unfortunately, silence is not leadership. If the University wants to continue branding itself as one of the country’s most politically engaged universities, it needs to act like it. Administrators cannot sit back while students take risks to advocate for what’s right. Other universities nationwide have begun giving in to Trump’s pressures and done little to push back, and it’s a very real possibility that if our University pushes back, we could lose federal support. Still, the University needs to stand firm in supporting the work its students are already doing. Administrators cannot be complacent if the government threatens the livelihoods of transgender student athletes, protesters or students who write guest columns on our campus.
The pattern of the University issuing vague, performative statements before returning to a state of inaction is familiar. University President Jonathan Alger released a statement in February launching a website for students to navigate campus resources relating to Trump’s orders, but the website does not seem to have been updated since Alger’s announcement.
The University needs to take this opportunity to proactively create policy instead of just reacting to students or the government’s demands. The University needs to reaffirm its commitment to protecting students, take a stand against the Trump administration’s harmful policies and support its many students who are directly impacted by these shifts. The administration needs to remember that civic engagement can’t just be a selling point for potential students, but a core value that it is willing to defend.
This piece was written by Alana Parker and edited by Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks and Olivia Citarella.
