Harvard University President Alan M. Garber told members of the college’s community that the university will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands over antisemitism.
Harvard University’s top official told members of the community that the Massachusetts-based school will not comply with the Trump administration’s demands, despite risking the loss of grants and contracts to conduct research on “groundbreaking innovations.”
Harvard President Alan M. Garber sent a defiant letter to members of the university community on Monday, saying “no government… should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”
“For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields”, Garber wrote. “These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer.
“Over the last several weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history”, he continued.
Garber pointed to research the university has conducted, including life-changing advancements like treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons and diabetes, as well as breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science, engineering and other areas.
The university president said the federal government was risking not just the health and well-being of millions of individuals by retreating from partnerships with Harvard and other universities, but also the economic security and vitality of the country.
“Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to ‘maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government,’” Garber wrote.
