The Harvard Plan The Endless Frontier
Nov 15, 2025
May Mailman, a senior policy strategist from the Trump White House, discusses the administration's controversial higher education compact aimed at redefining university partnerships. Hillary Burns, a Boston Globe higher education reporter, contributes insights on university responses ranging from compliance to legal pushback. Key topics include Mailman's defense of governmental oversight on campuses, the impact of political pressure on academic freedom, and the ramifications of monitoring ideological diversity. The conversation reveals the tension between education and politics in today's landscape.
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Bush's Enduring Research Compact
- Vannevar Bush's 1945 report created a durable model where government funds basic research while preserving academic independence.
- Bush insisted funding be long-term, decisions by informed public servants, and researchers retain freedom over methods and staffing.
Eight-Decade Compact Comes Apart
- For decades Bush's compact guided U.S. research policy and made universities global leaders in discovery.
- That compact began unraveling in 2024 as the federal government targeted top research institutions with funding cuts and oversight.
May Mailman's Role In The Campaign
- May Mailman served as the White House lead drafting orders and negotiating with college leaders until stepping down to have a baby.
- She frames the effort as cultural and political, not technical, aiming to change higher education norms.
