Colleges have lost ‘confidence of the American people': Rep. Virginia Foxx
‘Colleges and universities have lost not only the confidence of the Republican party but the confidence of the American people,’ Foxx said.
‘When private universities want to stop taking taxpayer money, we will stop doing oversight,’ she added.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), outgoing Chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, spoke to American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Senior Fellow Preston Cooper about the state of American higher education.
During the event, which took place at AEI on Dec. 9, Foxx spoke about why higher education has a negative image amongst many Americans, among other issues.
Asked why colleges and universities have “lost confidence” among Republicans, Foxx answered: “Colleges and universities have lost not only the confidence of the Republican party but the confidence of the American people.”
She said that, though these institutions “have been a shining jewel,” they started “losing the confidence of the American people” due to prohibitive costs and their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foxx added that the “real nail in the coffin” came from the post Oct. 7 protests on campuses, which shined a spotlight on the “moral rot” of colleges.
She also stated that private colleges and universities that accept federal funds must be held accountable: “When private universities want to stop taking taxpayer money, we will stop doing oversight. They are getting billions of dollars of hardworking taxpayer money, and as long as they are willing to take it we are going to do oversight.”
When asked about President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda, Foxx praised Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, saying she is “really excited,” and adding she is a “fighter,” a “businesswoman,” and “very sharp.” “She will find where all the bodies are buried,” she added.
[RELATED: Rep. Tim Walberg appointed to chair House Committee on Education, Workforce]
She further stated that Trump’s incoming administration will improve “educational opportunities.”
Answering an audience question about what sorts of presidents universities should be searching for, she said school leaders should be “making sure that the students are safe,” given how many Jewish students “did not feel safe” in light of the 2024 campus riots.
A spokesperson from Rep. Foxx’s office told Campus Reform that they will “let Dr. Foxx’s comments in the interview stand for themselves.”
