Their value attacked and funding cut, universities and colleges start fighting back

By: Jon Marcus

Outlets: The Hechinger Report

Published: January 27, 2026

Words: 2,129

Last Updated: 1 month, 2 weeks ago

A narrator speaks over images of busy cityscapes, children playing in a field and ominous scenes of natural disasters and civil unrest.

“There’s no sugarcoating it,” the deep voice warns. “America’s future is under attack.”

Its salvation: higher education, personified by young people shown listening attentively in classrooms and busy at work in high-tech labs.

“College,” the speaker concludes with the heroic inflection of a movie cowboy: “Proud sponsor of America at its best.”

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