President Trump has targeted some of the nation’s most elite universities with demands that include rolling back or eliminating DEI, assisting in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportations, and eliminating mask-wearing on campus. The administration has threatened to withhold funds from schools that don’t agree to the directives. Harvard University this week declined to negotiate with the administration, which in return cut off billions in funding.
“Harvard’s refusal to negotiate expresses its unwavering commitment to academic freedom and integrity and its mission to foster critical thinking. In a time when political agendas seek to shape the direction of higher education, institutions like Harvard must remain steadfast in protecting their independence and prioritizing the pursuit of knowledge above all else,” says Dr. Cedric B. Howard, a higher education expert and founder of Howard Executive Consulting.
Harvard President Alan Garber rejected the Trump administration’s demands, writing in a letter this week:
“The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.” “The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge.”
The Trump administration responded by freezing 2 billion in federal funds earmarked for the university.
Brown University has rebuffed directives from the Trump administration to roll back DEI and adhere to other demands. The Trump administration responded by announcing a pause on over $500 million in federal funding. Brown University is suing the government in response.
“During the Trump administration, for instance, policies on diversity, immigration, and civil rights presented challenges that tested the resolve of many institutions,” Howard said of Trump’s first presidency, challenges that are growing in the second one.
The Trump administration announced last week that $1 billion in funds to Cornell would be frozen. Cornell officials said in a statement that they had received more than 75 stop-work orders from the Defense Department, but that they had no confirmation that $1 billion in funding had been suspended. The affected grants, they said, supported research that they described as “profoundly significant to American defense, cybersecurity and health.”
“We are actively seeking information from federal officials to learn more about the basis for these decisions,” said the joint statement from Michael Kotlikoff, the university president; and Kavita Bala, the provost.
Northwestern has earned the distinction of being the only non-Ivy League college to be threatened with a federal funding freeze. The Trump administration has announced a pause on $790 million in funds to the university.
The university said it is gathering more information, and indicated that a cut in funding would be harmful.
“Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and lifesaving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” said Northwestern spokesperson Jon Yates. “This type of research is now at jeopardy.”
The White House announced a pause of over $175 million in funding for the University of Pennsylvania. The university responded with this statement:
“Penn is closely monitoring federal policy changes affecting institutions of higher education and academic health systems. These include a broad range of government actions that impact the University’s missions, operations, and community. Penn’s leadership is directly engaged with public officials to advocate vigorously for the essential role of higher education, scientific discovery, our values, and our service to the greater good.”
The White House announced over $200 million in funding freezes, which cover a range of research. The university has responded cautiously.
“The full rationale for this action is not yet clear,” Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber wrote after the first grant suspensions.
Columbia University is in talks with the Trump administration to claw back $400 million in funding that has been frozen.
“Where this work aligns with recommendations of others, we believe constructive dialogue makes sense,” the trustees wrote.
The university has made changes to its student-discipline policies, drawing criticism from those who see them as capitulations to the Trump administration’s demands.
Talks between the university and the White House continue.
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