Donald Trump as US president: what it means for higher education

Donald Trump is to become the 45th president of the US, but what does his election mean for higher education?

Republican candidate Mr Trump has beaten his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton in what has been one of the most bitter and divisive US election campaigns in history. 

Donald Trump elected: our coverage

Special report: Trump and higher education

Analysis: Trump victory rocks US college campuses
Donald Trump’s victory shows why we need philosophy students more than ever
US fears decline in international students after Trump election
Trump University: could a higher education scandal impeach a president?
Will ‘anti-science’ Trump harm US research?
Millions of graduates voted Trump, wooed by his straight-talking materialism
Trump could act on for-profits, loans, campus sex assault claims
What Trump means for for-profits
Trump election sees academics considering Canada
Academics urged to address Trump ‘Rust Belt revolt’
Twitter's role in the rise of Donald Trump
Republicans ready to roll back HE regulation

More comment on the election of Donald Trump

Trump agenda must not endanger what makes US HE strong
Will Trump make US HE great again? Not likely
Thank you, Donald Trump, for what you have taught universities

The live blog below is no longer being updated. You can scroll down to see previous posts from 11 November, 2016 

Update 3pm: 

Our deputy news editor and politics reporter John Morgan looks ahead to the next national election with a populist candidate.

Former University of Vienna economics prof Alexander Van der Bellen, ex Green leader, trying to stave off Freedom Party's Norbert Hofer.

— John Morgan (@JMorganTHE) November 9, 2016

"[Nigel] Farage and [Donald] Trump – who has described himself on Twitter as “MR BREXIT” – are clearly right to scent an international political movement on the rise," Morgan writes in his superb analysis of the new international political climate. Read it here. 

Update: 2:20pm

The new politics not only in the US, but also in the UK, could have big implications for the international student market, says Rahul Choudaha in this blog.

Update: 12:30pm

As you might expect, academics have been reacting to the news on social media sites in huge numbers. Here's what Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester and a polling expert, had to say - and it's not very complimentary. Head over to his Twitter page for all of his tweets on this issue (only a few included below). 

Con majority, Corbyn leadership win, Brexit, Trump nomination, Trump Presidency. As a community, we have failed.On behalf of us, I am sorry.

— (((Rob Ford))) (@robfordmancs) November 9, 2016

We have failed consistently to give you an accurate account of what is out there. We aren't the only ones, but as academics it is our job

— (((Rob Ford))) (@robfordmancs) November 9, 2016

I'm not sure how I fix this but the best place to start is by accepting the fault. I hope we can learn to do better.

— (((Rob Ford))) (@robfordmancs) November 9, 2016

Update: 11:50am

Times Higher Education's digital and communities editor, Chris Parr, has been blogging about the result.

"What does the election of Trump mean for higher education in the US? When I tweeted this question from the THE account, one person replied simply: 'It means it has failed'."

Read the article in full. 

Update 11:15am

More reports of rallies and demonstrations at institutions in the US, including the University of California, Los Angeles and University of California, Davis.

Anti-#Trump demonstration at #UCDavis heads downtown from campus #ElectionResults #ElectionNight #Elections2016 #Davis #California pic.twitter.com/dYHLOuLibA

— Kirstin Adams-Bimson (@kirstinbimson) November 9, 2016

Hundreds of UCLA students march in protest of Trump's victory. They are now headed towards the 405 freeway. pic.twitter.com/phtYr378OG

— Jonathan Ivan (@jonathanivan) November 9, 2016

Update: 10:10am

University students in some Democrat states have protested against the result. 

Students at the University of Oregon took to the streets of the campus and the city to protest against Donald Trump as it became likely he would win. Reports on Twitter claimed that people were burning paraphernalia emblazoned with Trump’s trademark slogan: “Make American Great Again”.

Protesters gather on @Univ_Of_Oregon campus after election results. @registerguard @rgnewsphoto pic.twitter.com/fx813qGkUv

— Collin Andrew (@CollinAndrewRG) November 9, 2016

Currently watching an awkward anti-trump rally on campus that is burning MAGA apparel. pic.twitter.com/T2N6gHaG2y

— MDL (@WhiteGirlLeader) November 9, 2016

Anti-Trump protesters have also gathered at the University of California, Berkeley.

Protest grows as participants light flares #berkvote pic.twitter.com/12AnGlAiEB

— Anderson Lanham (@AndersonLanham) November 9, 2016

Meanwhile, Trump supporters at Sydney University in Australia were allegedly removed from the campus bar after chanting: “Grab them by the pussy! That’s how we do it!'”, according to reports on Twitter.

Some participants removed by security from on-campus election event. Attendees reminded to observe Code of Conduct.https://t.co/JwXfRjYd8U

— University of Sydney (@Sydney_Uni) November 9, 2016

Trump supporters at Sydney Uni gleefully yelling 'grab them by the pussy! That's how we do it!'

— Jess Hill (@jessradio) November 9, 2016

Update 9:50am:

Scott Jaschik, editor of US higher education publication Inside Higher Ed, looks in detail at how Donald Trump's victory is likely to be received by universities in the US. 

"The Republican candidate regularly attacked colleges as politically correct, his comments about non-Americans in the US worried many college leaders who depend on international students, and he rejected consensus science about climate change and other topics."

Read the full article here.

Update: 6:50am

What the election of President Donald Trump means for universities 

An overview of what Donald Trump has said about higher education during the 2016 election campaign: 

In October, Donald Trump dedicated several minutes of a speech in Ohio to higher education policy:

Student loans

Mr Trump's team has said he plans to move the government out of lending, and restore that role to banks. He has endorsed income-based loan repayment, and criticised institutions for not spending their often substantial endowments on students. 

Students, he says, should "not be asked to pay more on loans than they can afford", and he has suggested that loans be based on graduates' incomes, while repayment should be capped at 12.5 per cent of borrowers' income.

Tuition fees

Mr Trump has said he would like to end tax-exempt status for institutions that fail to use large endowments to reduce the cost of tuition.  "If colleges refuse to take this responsibility seriously, they will be held accountable," he said.

He has also made reference to "tremendous bloat" within the US higher education sector, suggesting he believes there are significant administration savings to be made by universities and colleges. 

Other higher education policies

Sam Clovis, the national co-chair and policy director of Trump's campaign and a tenured professor of economics at Morningside College, has spoken in more detail about Mr Trump's plans for higher education.

These include a complete overhaul of the federal student loan system, steps to guarantee free speech on campus (although there has been little detail on this), and a rejection of a state-federal partnership to make community college free for new high school graduates. Read more on these plans here. 

We will bring you more on this breaking news story as it develops.