Trump administration eyes pulling $100m in Harvard funding
The US government looks set to cancel the rest of its federal contracts with Harvard – the country’s oldest university – according to a draft letter obtained by The New York Times and understood to have been sent to federal agencies yesterday.
It instructs recipients to sever all remaining contracts with Harvard – believed to be worth around $100 million – while agencies are instructed to “find alternative vendors”, as Donald Trump’s administration dials up its attacks on the higher education sector.
The letter, dated May 27, also encourages federal agencies to look elsewhere for future contracts where previously it would have considered joining forced with Harvard.
In its letter, the General Services Administration (GSA) cited alleged anti-semitism and race discrimination “including in its admissions process and in other areas of student life” on Harvard’s part as its reasoning for distancing itself from the institution.
“This review aligns with the administration’s directive that all federal contracted services steadfastly uphold and advance strategic priorities,” it said.
So far, Harvard has borne the brunt of Trump’s war on elite higher education institutions, having been repeatedly accused by the administration of failing to combat anti-semitism on campus and bias against conservative viewpoints.
The situation reached fever pitch late last week, as the administration moved to block Harvard from enrolling new international students and tried to force existing students to study elsewhere or else see their right to remain in the country taken away. Following swift legal action from Harvard, a federal judge placed a temporary restraining order on the directive, with next steps to be decided on in a hearing tomorrow.
This review aligns with the administration’s directive that all federal contracted services steadfastly uphold and advance strategic priorities
General Services Administration
International students make up a sizeable chunk of Harvard’s student body, with the move throwing many into a panic with just days to go before graduation.
It followed a long-running feud between Harvard and the Trump administration, with the administration freezing $2.2bn in funding to the university after it refused to comply with an extensive list of government demands – including doing more to fight anti-semitism on campus, ending DEI initiatives and handing over its international students’ records or face losing its SEVP status.
The White House has continued to take jabs at higher education – and particularly international students. Most recently, US consulates around the world were instructed to halt all interviews for new student visas.
It comes as the government moves towards more stringent social media checks for prospective students. Whereas it was previously understood that only students who took part in pro-Palestinian protests would face greater screening of their social media accounts, it now seems as though the stricter checks will apply to all student visa applicants.
And the future of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) scheme – the US’s post-graduate work stream for international students – could be at risk.
Joseph Edlow, President Trump’s nominee for director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, said he wants to “remove the ability for employment authorisations for F-1 students beyond the time that they are in school,” in effect ending post-graduation OPT.
Harvard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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