Harvard cut off from new federal research grants
By: Zachary Schemele
USA today
WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is cutting off new federal research grans to Harvard University, in yet another escalation of the White House's attack on one of the nation's most prestigious colleges.
......
Education Secretary Linda McMahon sent a letter to Harvard President anal Garber on May 5 [2025] informing him that the federal government would no longer approve any new research grants. She cited concerns over antisemitic incidents on campus as a basis for refusing to continue providing taxpayer dollars to fund the university's world-class research.
..... "This letter is to inform you that Harvard should no longer seek GRANTS from the federal government, since none will be provided," McMahon wrote in the letter to Garber, who is Jewish. "Harvard will cease to be a publicly funded institution, and can instead operate as a privately-funded institution, drawing on its colossal endowment, and raising money, from its large base of wealthy alumni."
.....
Harvard has a $52 billion endowment, the largest of any university in the nation, though the funds are often restricted and used for things like financial aid and scholarships.
..... The change to federal grants would not end all federal funding to Harvard, however.
.....
A senior Education Department official said May 5 [2025] on a call with reporters that only research funding would be affected. Federal student financial aid would be unaffected, he said.
..... In recent weeks, review, the administration began a formal review into nearly $9 billion in federal funding for Harvard, demanded the university ban diversity, equity and inclusions practices, and crack down on some pro-Palestinian groups and masks in protests.
..... After Harvard refused to abide by government demands to overhaul its hiring, teaching and admissions practices, the White House froze more than $2 billion worth of the university's federal research funding in April. [2025] Accusing the Trump administration of encroaching on academic freedom, Harvard's leadership sued.
.....
"This case involves he Government's efforts to sue the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decisions making at Harvard," the university said in its lawsuit.
..... In a statement to USA Today, Harvard spokesperson Jason Newton wared the demands outlined in McMahon;s letter would "impose unprecedented and improper control over Harvard University and would have chilling implications for higher education."
..... "Today's [05/05/2025] letter makes new threats to illegally withhold funding for lifesaving research and innovation in retaliation against Harvard for filing its lawsuit on April 21," [2025] he said. "Harvard will continue to comply with the law, promote and encourage respect for viewpoint diversity, and combat antisemitism in our community.
..... Contributing: Reuters