The Trump administration has frozen $2.2 billion in grants to Harvard University after the school announced that it had rejected demands to roll back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
The federal government paused the funding on April 14, as noted by The Harvard Crimson. In total, Harvard receives nearly $9 billion in federal funding.
On April 11, the U.S. Department of Education, the General Services Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services wrote a letter to Harvard leadership, criticizing the institution for allegedly violating federal civil rights law.
“Harvard has in recent years failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment,” the departments stated. “But we appreciate your expression of commitment to repairing those failures and welcome your collaboration in restoring the University to its promise.”
The departments proceeded to list a series of demands that they required of the university, including eliminating DEI initiatives and more effectively combating anti-Semitism on campus.
The president of Harvard, Alan Garber, issued a statement in response to the federal government’s letter in which he rejected the government’s proposal.
“We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Garber wrote. “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”
“The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government,” he continued. “It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI.”
In response to Garber’s decision to decline the federal government’s requests, the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism issued a statement on April 14, blaming the school for failing to foster a safer learning environment.
“The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable,” the task force stated. “It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support.”
Campus Reform reported earlier this month that the Trump administration’s anti-Semitism task force was reviewing all of the $9 billion in federal funding for the Ivy League school.
Harvard is the world’s richest university, with a total endowment of more than $53 billion.
Campus Reform has contacted Harvard University for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
This article was originally published at campusreform.org
