Trump wants to build a free online university — and make Harvard pay for it

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/01/trump-free-online-university-00124905

Donald Trump wants to “revolutionize” higher education if elected president.

And in a new campaign policy video, he is pledging to do so by creating a federally funded online university that awards free degrees — one where “wokeness or jihadism” are not allowed.


Trump’s latest policy proposal proposes taxing large private university endowments to pay for a new institution called “American Academy.” The school would grant credit to prospective students for past coursework and use their credentials to apply for jobs with the U.S. government and federal contractors, according to plans shared in advance with POLITICO.


Trump’s policy proposal comes as U.S. institutions, including top universities, have come under increased political scrutiny, most recently for their response to the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas. Prominent business leaders, politicians, and donors have criticized their alma maters and even vowed to pull future donations to schools for muddled or muted statements, or for allowing pro-Palestinian speakers on campus.

“We spend more money on higher education than any other country and yet, they’re turning our students into communists and terrorists and sympathizers of many, many different dimensions,” Trump said in a video of his proposal. “We can’t let this happen.”

Trump campaign officials said they have yet to decide who would run American Academy, but said they would look to include private sector resources and they pointed to several potential models, including oversight by an existing government agency, a presidentially appointed board or commission, or a publicly funded private entity.

And so here we have it. Trump promoting more taxes and free stuff, the very definition of a big spending liberal. Also, he demonstrates a penchant for thought control. As I keep saying Trump is not a real conservative. Rather he is a NYC big spender former lib who is likely still a lib. No one knows what he will do if elected. The current false political dichotomy is a sham. I hope to be able to vote for RFK Jr.

 

there will be a time that all education will be computer based training (CBT), it's proven to work, so many will use it, even in the classrooms as it is cheaper than paying a real teacher and more consistent across the board - Trump is just stating the obvious, though Trump will have nothing to do with it, corps will sell it

in the coming future, every Job that can be replaced by AI, will be

the irony in Trump pushing this, is this will lead to socialism long term as fewer and fewer will have jobs

 

Another Trump brain fart …

 

In before all the “limited government” conservatives praise this plan.

I have no qualms with a government run university in principle. The states already have them. I actually like the concept Trump is proposing. Though in fairness he stole it from little Marco.

 

I like the idea of a top Republican em

I’m a little worried about the different dimensions he wants us to visit….

 

I am not against making higher education more affordable. But, online? Hasn't the covid pandemic taught us how online learning DOES NOT work?

 

I think the greater, or certainly, the more obvious irony, is that this vision is being pitched by the creator of Trump University, which had been a scam.

 

In addition to his 25 million fraud settlement for "Trump University and Trump's SOE Betsy DeVos who wanted to "advance God's Kingdom".

 

I smell another Trump scam …

 

Doesn’t work for 6yos (as I learned the hard way), but that doesn’t mean it can’t work for adults who presumably want an education.

 

Hey, just because this might present a good business opportunity-- to sell notebooks and school folders, adorned with superhero images of Trump-- wouldn't necessarily make it a scam.

 

As a university professor, I can tell you from personal experience that online learning doesn't work for 19 year old students either. Maybe it works for people 30 years and older, I don't know....

 

It's not the worse idea I've heard, but the only way to actually make it work and for the classes to be legitimate is for there to be actual, in person proctoring of the tests. You can study online all you want, but you can't test online, or at least not in a way that would be legitimate.

 

Hasn’t he already dabbled in a “University”?

 

been an idea for a while, this is a post of mine from 2012

 

When I was a junior in high school, our English teacher had us watch a literature interpretation course hosted by a professor Arthur Eastland. It worked for me, but I know that’s probably unusual. I know on-line learning has not worked for a lot of people, but if it’s combined with some live class interaction, it can work.

 

Sadly, there does seem to be a variation on a theme at work here. The thing that is disturbing to me is that education, at one time, was intended to teach people how to think, not what to think. Apprently, Trump wants a university to teach people what to think and then funnel those people into government jobs.

 

Not all 19yo university students really want to learn….I’m sure you’d agree.

 

Why does it not work? What in your experience gets in the way of its success?

 

Simple

Procrastination

It is amazing how much tile grout I can clean before an examination

 

Stupid idea.

 

Spending for training and education of Americans is better than paying Ukrainians to hid Hunter's crimes.

 

People have been getting degrees by correspondence for decades, possibly generations. Obviously some courses require people to physically attend classes, but many do not, or do not require it very much. I know numeorus people who got degrees by correspondence before ther was streaming or even email. The whole process would be WAY more effective now.

Personally I think there is value in attending campus for some, perhaps many people (especially young people), but online learning DOES work if done properly.

My bigger issue with this is that I have zero belief that the person proposing it has the slightest interest in educating anyone. Whatever Trump has in mind here, you can safely assume quality education is not a part of it.

 

It wouldn’t even offer real degrees

 

Very on brand then.