Trump administration mulls another $1B funding cut for Harvard University
What's the story
The conflict between the US government and Harvard University is reaching new heights. The Donald Trump administration is planning to pull another $1 billion in federal grants and contracts for health research from the university, as per The Wall Street Journal. The government had earlier frozen $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60 million in contract value over Harvard's refusal to share hiring data.
Stance
Previous actions by the Trump administration
This step comes after the government demanded audits of academic programs and departments at the prestigious university, but the latter refused to comply with all the demands. Also, the Trump administration planned to treat Harvard more leniently than Columbia University, but now the officials want to apply more pressure on it.
Defiance
Harvard's response to government demands
Sources familiar with Harvard's response said there was no agreement to keep the letter sent by the government private. Contents of the letter included demands for federal government oversight of admissions, hiring, and student/staff ideology. In a separate letter penned by Harvard President Alan M Garber, he stated that while some government demands were "aimed at combating antisemitism," most others represented direct governmental regulation of the university's "intellectual conditions."
Comparison
Columbia's compliance contrasted with Harvard's stance
Columbia University mostly gave in to government demands after some $400 million in federal funding was cut. Harvard, meanwhile, has defied so far. President Garber insisted the university would "not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights."