The Education Department said Monday that Harvard University will not be eligible for any additional federal funding until it complies with a number of requirements set forth by the administration of President Donald Trump.
The move, which was detailed in a letter to the president of Harvard, represents a significant intensification of Trump’s conflict with the Ivy League university. Trump is attempting to deprive Harvard of its tax-exempt status, and the administration has already frozen $2.2 billion in federal funds to the university.
In Trump’s attempt to impose change at universities he claims have turned into hotbeds of liberalism and antisemitism, Harvard has resisted the administration’s requests, setting up a highly watched confrontation.
Harvard won’t get any more federal funding unless it “demonstrates responsible management of the university” and meets government requirements on a number of topics, an Education Department official told reporters during a press conference. It is not applicable to federal financial aid that students receive to help pay for tuition and fees, but rather to government research grants.
On a call with reporters, the official gave a preview of the decision while speaking on condition of anonymity.
The official charged Harvard with “serious failures” in four areas: racial discrimination, antisemitism, a lack of discipline, and diversity of opinion. Harvard would have to start talks with the federal government and demonstrate that it has met the administration’s requirements in order to be eligible for more grants.
The administration has called for a number of adjustments to school regulations, such as measures to crack down on demonstrators and encourage a wider range of faculty perspectives.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon accused Harvard of accepting international students who disdained the United States in a letter to the university’s president on Monday.
McMahon remarked, “Harvard University has made a mockery of this country’s higher education system.”
The president of Harvard has previously stated that he will not budge to the demands of the government. Last month, the institution filed a lawsuit to lift its financial freeze.
Harvard’s lawsuit claimed that the funding freeze was “arbitrary and capricious,” violating both the statutory provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and its First Amendment rights.
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Prior to this, the Trump administration stated that Harvard would have to fulfill a number of requirements in order to retain over $9 billion in grants and contracts.
With a $53 billion endowment, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based institution has the biggest in the nation. Uncounting financial help like grants and student loans, federal funds made for 10.5% of total revenue at the university in 2023.
