I agree that's part of it. But I've also seen university administration proudly let state governments know that they're weaning themselves off of state funding. That can be seen in different ways, but it's clear that they've internalized the message so much that they don't push back against it at all.
More fundamentally, I think the US really needs to step back to the basics and think about different ways research can be funded, and to what extent current funding systems map onto those different mechanisms. I think there's a lot of dishonesty about what is going on, in terms of how research is funded in theory versus what actual expectations or practices are, and what the consequences of all of it is.
More fundamentally, I think the US really needs to step back to the basics and think about different ways research can be funded, and to what extent current funding systems map onto those different mechanisms. I think there's a lot of dishonesty about what is going on, in terms of how research is funded in theory versus what actual expectations or practices are, and what the consequences of all of it is.