The move comes after the university rejected the US administration’s request for policy changes
The administration of US President Donald Trump has announced it is freezing more than more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, after the Ivy League school rejected a list of demands from the White House.
A major clash between the administration and some of the country’s top universities has been unfolding in response to how the pro-Palestinian student protests that erupted on campuses last year were handled. Since taking office, Trump has stepped up pressure on universities to address anti-Semitism and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices.
Last week, the White House sent Harvard an “updated and expanded list of demands” it claimed were aimed at combating anti-Semitism on campus. It also issued a warning that the university “must comply” in order to maintain its “financial relationship” with the government.
The proposals included changes to the university’s governance, hiring practices, and admissions policies. It also demanded that it eliminate its DEI policies and programs.
Harvard rejected the demands on Monday, accusing the White House of attempting to “control” its community.
“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Harvard President Alan Garber said in a letter to the community. He argued that the university took its responsibility to combat anti-Semitism seriously, but accused the government of overstepping its authority.
Hours later, the government announced it was freezing billions in federal funding for Harvard, claiming that “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 statement from the Education Department added.
The federal task force earlier cut $400 million in funding for Columbia University and threatened to withhold billions more unless it complied with a list of demands from the Trump administration. Columbia agreed to many of the proposed changes, earning praise from Jewish organizations, while sparking criticism from free-speech advocates who view the move as federal overreach.
The Trump administration has also suspended federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Princeton, Cornell, and Northwestern.
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