Confidence in American universities is at a record low, with just 36% of the public reporting a “great deal or quite a lot of confidence” in higher education. That’s down sharply from a decade ago, especially among Republicans, of whom only 22% today have high confidence in the “honesty and ethical standards” of college professors. Groupthink, diversity, equity, and inclusion, antisemitism, and gender radicalism have compounded long-standing concerns about costs and questionable value.

The Trump administration has moved aggressively to address the problems with campus culture. To receive federal funds, universities pledge to honor federal civil rights protections. Because high-profile institutions have manifestly failed at this task in recent years, especially regarding antisemitism, federal officials are threatening massive financial penalties unless immediate steps are taken.

Princeton President Chris Eisgruber, former Harvard President Lawrence Summers, and many of their peers have objected to this course. They’ve denounced the Trump administration’s actions as excessive and would prefer, as Summers put it, that........

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