The Harvard University president announced Monday that he would not accept the Trump administration’s demands for continued federal funding, and soon afterwards the Education Task Force announced that it would freeze more than $2 billion in funding for the prestigious school.
Harvard President Alan Gerber said the Joint Task Force to Fight Anti-Semitism violated the rights of prestigious schools, including the First Amendment.
The task force has announced that $2.2 billion in grants have been frozen over several years, and contracts worth $60 million have been frozen. No details have been announced.
The Trump administration issued a Harvard request earlier this month, saying they need to meet up to receive the nearly $9 billion in grants and contracts. Money was threatened during an investigation into campus anti-Semitism allegations.
“We have notified the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept the proposed agreement. The university will not negotiate its independence or constitutional rights,” Gerber said in a letter to the community.
They say they are suspending employment as schools await news about potential cuts in federal funding for things like scientific research under the Trump administration. nbc10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/nbc10boston https://twitter.com/nbc10boston https://bsky.app/profile/nbcboston
Gerber said the administration shared an updated list of requests on Friday. This includes auditing the perspectives of the campus community and reducing the power of some campus than their views.
“The government in power will not determine what private universities can teach, what they can recognize and hire, and what areas of learning and research they can pursue,” Gerber said in a letter to the community.
A White House spokesman repeatedly announced Monday that higher education institutions violating the Title VI Act are not eligible for federal funding. Gerber said the request exceeded “statutory restrictions on government powers under Title VI.”
“President Trump is working to make higher education great again by ending unidentified anti-Semitism and preventing federal taxpayer dollars from funding Harvard’s support for dangerous racism and racially motivated violence.
A rally was held in Cambridge to urge Harvard to fight back on the Trump administration over the threat of cutting federal funds if schools do not cut DEI initiatives.
A rally was held at Harvard Yard this weekend, and demonstrators urged Harvard administrators to stand up to the Trump administration.
Read letters from the government and Harvard:
Read the Joint Task Force and fight against the complete anti-Semitism statement:
Today’s Harvard statement reinforces the nasty rights mindset that is endemic at our country’s most prestigious universities and universities that federal investments are not responsible for supporting civil rights laws.
The learning confusion that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. Harassment by Jewish students is unbearable. If elite universities want to take the issue seriously and continue to support taxpayers, it’s time to commit to meaningful change.
The Joint Task Force to Fight Anti-Semitism has announced a $2.2 billion grant to Harvard University and a $60 million freeze in multi-year contract value.
