Harvard University Free Palestine Camp, organized in April-May 2024 in support of the Palestine. (Credit: Dariusz Jemielniak)
President Donald Trump has ordered the freezing of approximately $2.3 billion in federal funding to Harvard University.
This action follows Harvard’s refusal to comply with federal directives aimed at dismantling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and addressing concerns over antisemitic incidents on campus.
According to the New York Post, the administration’s demands included the elimination of DEI initiatives, restructuring of admissions to prioritize merit, increased cooperation with immigration authorities, and a ban on pro-Palestinian student groups linked to antisemitic activities.
Harvard President Alan Garber (Harvard University / Youtube)
Harvard President Alan Garber rejected these directives, citing the university’s commitment to academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
Alan Garber:
“In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses.
[…]
Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.”
It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.
I encourage you to read the letter to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community.
They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views.
We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.
The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI.
And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.
No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
President Trump’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism released the following statement:
Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws.
The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable. It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support.
The Joint Task Force to combat anti-Semitism is announcing a freeze on $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60M in multi-year contract value to Harvard University.
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