Harvard Pushes Back: University Rejects Trump’s Administration’s Policies

Tamara Bradley and Nicole Ferguson

Despite the scrutiny that Harvard University has been facing from the Trump’s administration’s threat to withdraw funding, many students are taking a stand with Harvard president Alan Garber, according to CNN US. In their fight to maintain academic freedom, students have gathered in rallies on Harvard’s campus to protest. “Schools aren’t simply institutions for learning, but also where students talk about values, current events and ideas,” sophomore Aarohi Kshemkkalyani said. “As political issues reach more of the younger generation through social media and increased youth interest, it is not surprising that schools become a part of the conversation. It is crucial that schools allow for respectful dialogue, creating safe spaces for students without any outside political pressures.”

On April 14, Harvard president Alan Garber claimed that he will be rejecting demands from President Donald Trump’s administration to regulate campus culture, facing a withdrawal of $9 billion from research funding.

The official accused Harvard of “serious failures” in four areas: antisemitism, racial discrimination, abandonment of rigor and viewpoint diversity, according to NBC News. $2.2 billion were frozen in federal grants to Harvard by President Donald Trump, pushing to strip the school of its tax-exempt status.

“I think academic institutions should speak out,” social studies teacher Emily Sheridan said. “I think that the people at those institutions are the holders of knowledge in many ways, and for them to stay silent on these things devalues the hard work they’ve put into their field of study.”

For decades, the federal government has allocated grants to Harvard and other universities, investing in a range of research fields. Accused of discriminatory behaviors and a lack of viewpoint diversity, Harvard assures that in the wake of the Israel and Palestine conflict, they have taken steps to address the antisemitism and other injustices on campus.

They claim the government does not have the intention of providing support in addressing the injustices. Schools such as Harvard have continued to receive letters from the Department of Education, threatening to withhold funding and take judicial action, according to The Harvard Gazette.

“The federal government has grown a lot over time,” social studies teacher Daniel Hunter said. “And as time has gone on, more and more money has been going to state governments, other institutions, and unfortunately, the one who’s giving the money gets to dictate the terms.”

Out of the many universities targeted by Trump’s administration, Harvard remains the first elite school to reprimand their demands with the support of the school community, according to CNN.

“Institutions do have a duty to express their stance on important controversies, stand by their core values,” sophomore Aarohi Kshemkkalyani said. “However, it is important that they speak out in a way that opens up space for discussion, and not division of students and staff.”

As Trump continues to threaten withdrawing funding from universities, Harvard plans to sue the administration for unlawful actions. On July 21, Allison D. Burroughs, a Massachusetts District Court Judge, scheduled a hearing at the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse in Boston on account of extortion, according to CBS News and The Harvard Crimson.

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About the Contributors

Tamara Bradley, Staff Writer

Tamara Bradley is a staff writer for her first year on the Portola Pilot. In this new school year, she is eager to work together with her team members to produce electrifying stories that will compel readers. When she is not fretting over mounds of schoolwork, you can spot her blasting some of her favorite tunes, hanging out with her friends or catching up on the latest true crime podcasts.

Nicole Ferguson, Staff Writer

Nicole Ferguson is a staff writer for her first year on the Portola Pilot. When she isn’t with her friends, she plays flag football, which she joined this year and enjoys. Other times, she is working at the martial arts studio that she attends (helping with the younger kids). Some of her home hobbies are reading and listening to music. She really hopes she can contribute to a plentiful amount of eye-catching stories this year.