Harvard University is pushing back against the Trump administration’s policy mandates, leading to a significant freeze of federal grants and contracts. The university argues the demands infringe on its independence and academic freedom.
BY PC Bureau
April 15, 2025: The Trump administration announced Monday it is freezing $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in multi-year contract value to Harvard University, following the institution’s refusal to comply with a series of policy demands.
Harvard University had earlier stated it would reject the administration’s directives, which included the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, a ban on masks during campus protests, reforms to merit-based hiring and admissions, and a reduction in the power of faculty and administrators deemed “more committed to activism than scholarship.”
#Harvard University rejects Trump admin demands, saying it “won’t surrender its independence” or “accept terms beyond lawful authority.” The university remains open to dialogue but stands firm on its constitutional rights.
Other universities should watch and learn! 😎 pic.twitter.com/rIIlmc2eIW
— Homskyra (@homskyra) April 14, 2025
In response to the funding freeze, Harvard reiterated its stance, emphasizing the potential harm to public health and economic security. “For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals, but also the economic security and vitality of our nation,” the university stated.
ALSO READ: Meitei Flag Desecration Video Sparks Outrage in Manipur
A federal task force letter, received by Harvard last week, outlined the policy demands as necessary to “maintain Harvard’s financial relationship with the federal government.”
“We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Harvard President Alan M. Garber said in a statement. “The University will not surrender its independence or its constitutional rights.”
The Trump administration’s actions are part of a broader effort to exert influence over higher education, with threats of funding cuts to other institutions that do not adhere to its policies. The administration has framed these demands as a measure to combat antisemitism on college campuses, following a surge of incidents related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“President Trump is working to Make Higher Education Great Again by ending unchecked anti-Semitism and ensuring federal taxpayer dollars do not fund Harvard’s support of dangerous racial discrimination or racially motivated violence,” a White House spokesperson said. “Harvard or any institution that wishes to violate Title VI is, by law, not eligible for federal funding.”
Garber countered that the demands constitute “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard.” He asserted, “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.”
Harvard’s endowment is reported to be $53.2 billion in 2024.
Legal Challenge and Faculty Response
The Harvard faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors, along with the national organization, filed a lawsuit on Friday, seeking a temporary restraining order to block the funding cuts. They argue that the cuts are “imminent,” citing the administration’s previous reduction of $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University.
🚨Harvard Stands Firm Against Federal Overreach 🚨
Harvard University has boldly refused the Trump administration’s demands to overhaul its admissions and diversity programs, even at the risk of losing $9 billion in federal funding. President Alan Garber emphasized that the… pic.twitter.com/eZwzb6l6Qz
— Pigeon🕊️ (@The_Pigeon_News) April 14, 2025
ALSO READ: Hopes Dashed: Meitei Pilgrims Turn Back Amid Protests
“What the President of the United States is demanding of universities is nothing short of authoritarian,” Harvard Law School professor Nikolas Bowie stated. “He is violating the First Amendment rights of universities and faculty by demanding that if universities want to keep this money, they have to suppress our speech and change what we teach and how we study.”
The administration’s letter also included demands for “full cooperation” with the Department of Homeland Security and federal regulators to ensure “full compliance,” according to a copy obtained by The Harvard Crimson.
These actions follow the announcement that the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and the US General Services Administration are reviewing $8.7 billion in grants and over $255 million in contracts between Harvard, its affiliates, and the federal government.
