For generations, an American university degree was considered a ticket to a better future. It promised intellectual growth, exposure to various experiences and perspectives, and economic opportunity and security. Unfortunately, that no longer is the case. American universities have lost their way, and students should question whether the cost of a degree is genuinely worth it.

American universities have long been seen as institutions that welcome and foster intellectual diversity and debate. Although academia has always had a leftward tilt — politically and ideologically — dissenting viewpoints were always welcomed, and open dialogue was encouraged.

Today, American universities are no longer a marketplace of ideas but an ideological echo chamber where dissenting views are punished. On college campuses, free speech is increasingly under attack.

The decline in intellectual diversity and the simultaneous rise of intolerance are not coincidental. Instead, they are a direct result of the diversity, equity and inclusion mandates that have infected campuses nationwide. DEI initiatives have affected hiring efforts, admissions practices and class curricula. While these initiatives are framed as increasing diversity, benefiting underprivileged students and fostering a more inclusive environment, they often have the opposite effect. These initiatives encourage a victim mentality, punish dissenting views and encourage discrimination.

Additionally, these initiatives have given the intolerant, radical left a mandate to attack anyone who does not adhere to the belief system they deem to be correct. For example, in 2023, women’s sports activist Riley Gaines said she was assaulted by radical protesters at San Francisco State University when she visited the campus to speak about the inclusion of transgender athletes on women’s sports teams.

Just a few weeks ago, a similar incident occurred at UC Davis when masked protesters attacked students attending an event hosted by a conservative organization on campus.

Sadly, these are not isolated incidents. Over the last two years, the increase in pro-Hamas rallies on college campuses has often translated into an increase in antisemitic activity. At Columbia University, for example, I interviewed some Jewish students who told me they faced harassment, verbal abuse and threats of physical violence.

What makes matters worse is that the university did nothing to stop it. It did not intervene, reprimand the bullies or protect Jewish students — even when they explicitly asked for help.

A survey conducted by the American Jewish Committee and Hillel International in 2024 found that nearly one-third of American Jewish college students thought faculty members “promoted antisemitism or fueled a learning environment that is hostile to Jews.”

The truth is that, in many cases, university faculty members and administrators are aligned with these radical ideologies. Rather than serving as neutral arbiters, they use DEI to promote ideological uniformity.

Since taking office, President Donald Trump has taken steps to abolish universities’ DEI programs and to punish some of the worst offenders by cutting federal funding. Unfortunately, for the time being, the damage is done. It will take years to reverse course and bring American universities back into the light … if possible.

And while the reputation of American universities is at an all-time low, tuition is higher than ever. Student loan debt has reached crisis levels, and many graduates are leaving campus with limited job prospects and crippling loan payments on the horizon. Except for medical school or a few other specialized degrees, the return on investment is shrinking. No longer does a university degree guarantee a good job or even a well-rounded education.

By refusing to foster intellectual diversity and open dialogue, American universities are short-changing their students and failing to prepare them for the real world. Rather than shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a subpar education and a middling degree, high school students should evaluate alternative options.

Unless university leaders take meaningful steps to course-correct, they alone will be to blame for this unfortunate decline.

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ABOUT THE WRITER

Adam Guillette is the president of Accuracy in Media. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

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