Update on Vassar’s Approach to the Current Challenges to Higher Education
April 18, 2025
Dear all,
I am writing with updates about Vassar’s approach to the current challenges to higher education, and with an invitation. As you know, Vassar is a bold institution and always has been since its founding as a women’s college in 1861. Matthew Vassar had as his goal not only initiating a transformational women’s college but also changing the era for women. He was successful in this dream, and we can continue to take inspiration from this history of making accessible the highest quality higher education.
We are deeply concerned about revocations of visas, the detentions, and the deportations of international students and colleagues in higher education nationally; this has not happened on our campus, and we will not provide personal information to any agency without a court-ordered warrant.
International students, faculty, and employees are integral to academic communities, and they enrich all of our lives. We are committed to protecting them in every legal way we can. We will be offering educational workshops and one-on-one educational counseling with the Pace University Law School Immigration Justice Clinic in May to equip employees with as much information as possible to understand and protect against risks in this current climate. Students should continue to work through the Office of International Services and Andrew Meade, Director of International Services and Assistant Dean of Student Growth and Engagement. For additional legal concerns, Shay Humphrey, General Counsel, is also available. Watch your email for educational offerings. In this context, we may expect lower yield from first-year international students in the fall, although we will do everything we can legally to facilitate their smooth entry to and thriving at Vassar.
For many decades, American universities and colleges have been the site of critical breakthroughs in the sciences and other disciplines. Vassar stands by our commitment to the pursuit of excellence and academic freedom. In terms of future NIH and federal research funding, the landscape is unclear. We are part of a lawsuit undertaken by ACE (the American Council on Education) pertaining to cuts in NIH funding.
Conversations in Washington, D.C. about the endowment tax are ongoing, and I will return to the Hill in early May to advocate against this tax, which could dramatically damage many institutions of higher education. I will keep the campus community posted on any progress on this. The market downturn as well as the general uncertainty in the country and globe may also affect philanthropy and our endowment value, and we are assessing alternative options for weathering this challenging time. No decisions have been made, and none will be made until we have greater clarity about the financial conditions we will face. As always, I will update the community regularly as we gain more clarity.
The actions coming from Washington to deport non-citizens without due process, attack higher education, disrupt programs in science and health, and cause havoc in the economy are unnerving, and the times ahead will likely be difficult. I take comfort in this community and the fact that Vassar has endured the U.S. Civil War, two world wars, and several pandemics; throughout, Vassar has continued to provide the best education it can. During COVID, our guiding principles were to protect the most vulnerable and focus on the community (“We proceeds me”), and those principles still guide us. The senior leadership team and I are committed to being as transparent as possible; please be in touch anytime to discuss these issues further.
During such times, finding joy in community can lift our spirits and buoy the college. With this in mind, I invite everyone to a celebration where we can see each other face to face, enjoy food and activities together, and relish in the beauty and healing power of the nature around us on this gorgeous campus. Please join the celebration of ARBOR DAY/COMMUNITY CARE DAY on Friday, April 25th, 12–5 p.m. beginning on Library Lawn, where we will recognize the 100th anniversary of the Arboretum, honor our cherished groundskeepers who take care of the campus, and have the Tree Planting ceremony for the Class of 2027. Planting and stewarding our trees are acts of hope and regeneration. Come take care of each other and celebrate our resilient campus landscape—arboreal and human.
All are invited, and I look forward to seeing you there,
Elizabeth H. Bradley, President
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
@EHBVassar