Over 150 college presidents sign letter rebuking 'government overreach'

More than 150 university and college presidents co-signed a letter Tuesday condemning the Trump administration's recent efforts to dictate the policies of private higher education institutions in exchange for federal funding.

More than 150 university and college presidents co-signed a letter Tuesday condemning the Trump administration's recent efforts to dictate the policies of private higher education institutions in exchange for federal funding.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has paused billions of dollars in federal grants to several of the nation's most prestigious universities — including Harvard, Columbia and Princeton — in an attempt to get the universities to change their admissions processes and penalize student protesters.

The letter's signatories range from large public universities to small liberal arts schools, and include each of the Ivy League schools, except for Columbia University and Dartmouth College.

"As leaders of America’s colleges, universities, and scholarly societies, we speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education," the letter, orchestrated by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, says.

"We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight," the letter continues. "However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses."