Harvard University rejected a list of demands from the Trump administration that would require sweeping changes at the higher education institution to secure back nearly $9 billion in federal funding, saying it would not allow itself “to be taken over by the federal government.”
In a letter to administration officials on Monday, lawyers for the university said the list of demands the government sent in early April “go beyond the lawful authority of this or any administration” and refused to agree to the terms.
Trump administration officials had demanded Harvard end all diversity, equity and inclusion policies, crack down on student protesters, limit the power of students and faculty over school leaders, cooperate with federal law enforcement like the Department of Homeland Security and more.
It’s part of the administration’s “review” of federal funding to higher education institutions. Harvard receives approximately $9 billion in grants and contracts from the government, which is the school’s largest source of research support.
But Harvard, which has the largest endowment in the world at an estimated $53.2 billion, rebuked the administration’s attempt to assert more control over it.
“The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. Neither Harvard nor any other private university can allow itself to be taken over by the federal government. Accordingly, Harvard will not accept the government’s terms as an agreement in principle,” the letter read.
Harvard’s president, Alan Garber, said in a statement, “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.”
Professors at the school praised Garber on social media for pushing back against the administration’s request.
The Trump administration has pursued similar tactics with other Ivy Leagues, including Columbia University, Cornell University, Brown University, Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Columbia University agreed to Trump’s demands, winning back $400 million in funding.
It claims it’s reviewing federal funding to fight antisemitism on college campuses – an issue they assert has arisen from student-led pro-Palestinian protests last year – as well as eliminating DEI programs, which they believe are unfair.
Among the list of demands from the administration, it asked Harvard to adopt merit-based admissions and hiring – something the school already adheres to after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action.
Garber said the school had taken steps to address antisemitism on campus and planned to do more as well. But ultimately, the administration’s request extended beyond fighting antisemitism.
He warned that revoked federal funding would hurt critical research that has helped create breakthroughs in the medical, engineering and scientific fields.
“Harvard remains open to dialogue about what the university has done, and is planning to do, to improve the experience of every member of its community,” lawyers for the school wrote.
“But Harvard is not prepared to agree to demands that go beyond the lawful authority of this or any administration.”
