THREAD: We're glad to see @Stanford & @Harvard decided not to accept CARES Act funds. It’s the right thing to do and something all well-resourced institutions, as defined by federal regulations, should emulate. #COVID19 1/

With the #VarsityBlues scandal, some selective colleges allocating ~30% of seats to children of alumni & news that some colleges enroll vastly more students from well-resourced families than students from homes with middle & low incomes, #highered has received fair criticism. 2/

This doesn’t mean states and federal gov't should reduce support for colleges. On the contrary, it’s what makes this country strong. But states have balanced budgets on the back of #highered for too long. Students and families often shoulder this burden through rising tuition. 3/

Institutions with ample resources should model the leadership they seek to imbue in students and stand in solidarity with the entire higher education system, a bedrock of American democracy and our economy. 4/

Community colleges, public universities and Minority Serving Institutions - HBCUs, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander serving Institutions – enroll the vast majority of Americans... 5/

These colleges and the students they serve need this support most. So... 6/

To rebuild the opportunity ladder that #highered once represented, it’s time for #highered to begin rebuilding itself. Showing solidarity with lesser-resourced institutions, community colleges, MSIs and public universities, and the students they serve is a start. #COVID19 -END