In a strategic shift by the U.S. Department of Defense, Hillsdale College and the University of Michigan have emerged as potential new destinations for service members pursuing higher education. This move comes as part of a broader re-evaluation of educational institutions where military personnel receive training.
The Department of Defense has outlined these changes in a memorandum, which highlights the elimination of certain Senior Service College (SSC) Fellowship programs at several prestigious universities, including Ivy League institutions. The aim is to provide a more rigorous and relevant education focused on the complexities of modern warfare.
Among the schools where fellowships are being cancelled are Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Princeton, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In their place, the University of Michigan and Hillsdale College have been suggested as new venues for these programs.
Professor Derek Peterson, Faculty Senate chair at the University of Michigan, expressed surprise at the inclusion of his institution on the list. “U of M, historically, has been an institution that’s identified with the left, broadly,” Peterson remarked, noting the university’s recent actions to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs under executive orders from the previous administration.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a post on X, emphasized that the shift marks an end to what he described as “woke indoctrination” at these institutions. “We demand that Senior Service Colleges work to sharpen our warfighters on genuine national security issues, not social justice activism,” he stated.
Peterson and other faculty members at the University of Michigan are open to teaching military officers, emphasizing the importance of exposing them to critical thinking and a broader understanding of history and military conflict. “We need to have military officers in educational institutions like this if we’re going to have a responsible, accountable officer corps heading up the most powerful military in the world,” Peterson said.
While the University of Michigan is preparing an expedited review process for military applicants from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, it remains uncertain what the new training courses will entail. Peterson indicated his support if existing curricular structures were maintained, but expressed reservations about the development of a separate curriculum.
Hillsdale College expressed enthusiasm for the role, stating, “If senior officers want serious education in the principles they swear to defend, Hillsdale College is exactly where they should be,” through a spokesperson.
Peterson reiterated that educating military officers aligns with the University of Michigan’s mission as a public institution, highlighting the importance of understanding the broader implications of military actions. “We want them to know about the violence of America’s empire overseas,” he stated.
