Universities Are Standing Up to Trump NYT | Top Stories By: Alan Blinder 17 October 2025 at 17:03 A White House proposal for special funding treatment crossed a line for several schools. Some say it feels like a turning point in the federal government’s battle with higher education. © Tony Luong for The New York TimesAt Brown, some students and faculty worried their school might go along with the White House’s proposal after it agreed to an earlier deal.