rather than

[rainous]

Hi. I am trying to combine the following two ideas.

1. Our colleges should have been an ivory tower that encourage students to pursue their studies.

Instead,

2. Our colleges have been an ivory tower that reacts sensitively to political changes.


And this is what I have come up with so far to the best of my ability.

My main focus has been trying to avoid using "an ivory tower" twice. BUT I am not sure whether it is grammatically correct.

"Our colleges have been an ivory tower that reacts sensitively to political changes
rather than allowing students to pursue their studies."


Is it grammatically correct? And does "allowing students to pursue their studies" have "an ivory tower", not "Our colleges", as its subject ?
Thanks

[5jj]

Are you really sure that you want to use 'ivory tower'?

Ivory Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[rainous]

Are you really sure that you want to use 'ivory tower'?

Ivory Tower - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Are you implying that the term "ivory tower" is almost always used pejoratively (which I am aware of), which is why it wouldn't make sense in the sentence?

IF it could be used in a non-pejorative way, would my sentence make sense?

[5jj]

I see little point in considering whether sentences would make sense if the words in them meant something different.