OPINION – Cutting funding for so-called ‘woke’ initiatives undermines one of the university’s core tasks, write over seventy employees of Radboud University in an op-ed. ‘This not only undermines one of the university’s core missions but also risks stifling the very movements that will shape a more just future.’

In an opinion piece published in the Nederlands Dagblad and an opinion piece published in Vox professor Frank Hartmann from the Nijmegen School of Management advocates for budget cuts to so-called “woke” initiatives at universities. This unfortunately reflects a growing debate in the current political landscape.

Hartmann’s argument that universities should focus solely on scientific research and intellectual pursuits and cut back on diversity and inclusion efforts is based on a very narrow and misguided interpretation of the role of universities in society.

This perspective disregards the historical role of universities as spaces fostering social movements that transformed societies over time. It also disregards the importance of inclusion for scientific excellence and developing our ability to solve problems. As our mission is to “contribute to a free and healthy world with equal opportunities for all”, we must embrace this history and diversity.

Universities as critical spaces

The claim that universities are being taken over by ideological activism ignores the historical role of universities and scientific knowledge production for social emancipation. Universities have always been critical spaces for activism and debate, where important movements took root. The Civil Rights Movement in the United States is a prime example.

Students and staff at universities like Howard University and UC Berkeley were at the forefront of protests that challenged racial segregation and discrimination. These actions were initially derided as extremist but ultimately paved the way for the Civil Rights Act and fundamentally reshaped American society. Similarly, in South Africa, the Anti-Apartheid Movement was propelled forward by protests at institutions like the University of Cape Town. In both cases, universities served as sites where activism was not a distraction but vital for societal change.

‘In the Netherlands, universities were pivotal for animating and awakening radical imaginations about alternative and more democratic futures’

Even eminent researchers like Albert Einstein actively advocated for human rights and social justice. Rachel Carson, the famous American biologist, published Silent Spring to expose the damage of pesticides in intensive agriculture. We can go as far back as Charles Darwin, who advocated against the abuse of animals.

In the Netherlands, universities were pivotal for animating and awakening radical imaginations about alternative and more democratic futures. In the 1960s and 1970s, student movements at institutions such as the University of Amsterdam fought for democratising university governance and breaking with archaic societal hierarchies. The activism at the time paved the way for enduring reforms that made higher education more inclusive and participatory, ultimately strengthening our democratic institutions. And what about Radboud? Our university takes pride in its progressive history, protecting oppressed groups, from Catholics who were under-represented in the Netherlands only a century ago to, amongst others, members of the LGBTQ+ community today.

Science is never value-free

With this legacy in mind, we would hope for the university to show academic leadership in contemporary times as well. Universities do not, and should not, operate in isolation from the world’s injustices. The mission of universities goes beyond scientific discovery—they are meant to engage with the issues of our time, be it climate change, social inequality, or the atrocities we are witnessing in the Middle East.

Science is never value-free; it does not exist isolated from society. We make science with society, not only about society. What is important is to be transparent about the values and norms that inform our research more explicitly and openly. After all, every ontology has normative and political elements. Not taking a stance is already a normative, and in extension, a political position.

The protests against genocide that we see today are part of this legacy of university-led activism, as well as climate activism, and, for instance, Scientist Rebellion or End Fossil: Occupy! actions. These demonstrations, often dismissed as “woke” by those uncomfortable with the political implications for their own status quo, are essential expressions of the academic community’s commitment to critical thought and global justice.

Suppressing these voices through budget cuts or policy changes undercuts the university’s role as a site of free expression and social critique that lays the groundwork for political alternatives. ‘You have a part to play’ as Radboud’s slogan reminds us. That is precisely what this is about.

What should be valued?

Finally, this discussion is also about what is to be valued. Besides the fact that cutting on diversity and inclusion initiatives or the participation in demonstrations would save next to nothing compared to the amount of budget cuts needed, it would undermine not only the inclusive environment necessary for academic excellence but also the university’s broader mission to contribute to the betterment of society. Indeed, inclusivity is also about working together in healthier organizations, leading to better and more critical science and the ability to tackle complex problems.

In today’s global and political landscape, where issues of inequality, conflict, climate crisis, and human rights violations are at the forefront, universities must remain places where these topics can be debated openly. Activism must be seen as part of a university’s intellectual and ethical mission and not repressed, as has unfortunately been the case for multiple movements.

‘Universities have been – and must remain – spaces fostering critical thinking’

These initiatives are not luxuries that can be trimmed from a budget without consequence; they are fundamental to the role of universities in creating a more just and equitable society and strengthening our democracy. Universities have been – and must remain – spaces fostering critical thinking, demystifying entrenched power structures, forms of exploitation and oppression, and addressing the pressing social issues of their time. It is an academic virtue to be critical and contribute to global justice.

Framing the potential trimming of so-called “woke” activities as a priority but also as something positive ignores and undermines the role of universities in society but also risks stifling the very movements that will shape a more just future. After all, our task is not only to understand the world but to change it.