Harvard is the second Ivy League agency in the Trump administration’s efforts to deal with alleged anti-Semitism examples on campus.
Craig F. Walker/Boston Globe
Harvard is the latest higher education institution that the Trump administration responds to alleged misconduct of improper anti-Semitic harassment on campus and will investigate the Trump administration. According to a multi-agency press release, the agency will conduct a “full” analysis of nearly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts.
The commentary announced Monday afternoon as part of a joint Justice Department working group’s ongoing efforts to combat anti-Semitism in response to so-called anti-Semitism on university campuses. The Department of Education, Health and Human Services and the General Services Administration will conduct an investigation to “ensure that universities comply with federal regulations, including their civil rights liability,” the press release said.
The task force said its Harvard review process will be similar to the one currently conducted at Columbia University.
“This initiative strengthens the implementation of President Trump’s executive order, titled ‘Other measures with anti-Semitism’,” the news release said, “to ensure federally funded institutions adhere to their legal and ethical responsibilities to prevent anti-Semitism harassment.”
Over the course of a few weeks, the task force’s investigation into Colombia subverted the agency. It received a notice in early March that the government had conducted a $54.1 million review of federal contracts. Then, on March 7, the department withdrew $400 million in grants and contracts and sent a detailed list of requirements to the university on March 13, calling for immediate compliance to regain funds. Colombia agreed almost all requests a week later, but the government has not restored funds yet.
Shortly after the announcement of compliance, the university’s interim president Katrina Armstrong resigned.
The government said it will now review more than $255.6 million in federal contracts and $8.7 billion in grant commitments at Harvard University.
Like Colombia, these agencies will consider reviewing the frozen order of any contracts determined. However, Harvard University was also ordered to submit a list of all federal contracts, including direct and branch offices, that were not identified in the task force’s preliminary investigation.
President Alan M. Garber addressed the review in a letter to the Harvard community, acknowledging that nearly $9 billion in research funding is dangerous: “If this funding is stopped, it will stop life-saving research and harm important scientific research and innovation.”
He said the agency “has made a huge effort” to address anti-Semitism on campus over the past 15 months, but added that “we still have work to do” and is committed to working with the task force.
“We are determined to take measures that will take forward Harvard and its crucial mission while protecting our community and its academic freedoms,” he said.
Critics have broadly opposed the Trump administration’s strategy, saying they are the primary example of using anti-Semitism assertions to prove “positive” executives over-defense.
“What we’re seeing is trying to weaponize federal funds to punish schools that don’t match their political views,” said Wesley Whistle, director of the New Americas program at the left-leaning think tank. “This pressure kills the idea of free communication, and that’s all about higher education.”
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the university “failed to protect students on campus from anti-Semitism, all promoting separatist ideology, rather than free inquiries, to have a reputation in serious danger.
“Harvard can correct these mistakes and restore itself to a campus dedicated to academic excellence and the search for truth, and all students feel safe on campus,” she said.
