The feud with Harvard University and the Trump administration came to a head Monday when the federal government announced a freeze on more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts.
On Friday the Trump administration wrote a letter to Harvard calling for broad government and leadership reforms, a requirement that Harvard institute what it calls “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies as well as conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity.
Harvard responded to the “demands” Monday saying it will not comply. As a result, the federal government will freeze the more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts.
The demands from the Trump administration to the university, which are an update from an earlier letter, also call for a ban on face masks — which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters. They also pressure the university to stop recognizing or funding “any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”
Harvard President Alan Garber, in a letter to the Harvard community Monday, said the demands violated the university’s First Amendment rights and “exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI,” which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.
“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,” Garber wrote, adding that the university had taken extensive reforms to address antisemitism.
“These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate,” he wrote. “The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community.”
Private university. Why then do they need my tax dollars? They charge an enormous amount per student. Stop give them any federal funds!!
Private university shouldn’t receive any government funding!