United States President Donald Trump’s administration has announced it is freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University after the Ivy League school rejected a list of demands from the White House. The administration requested policy changes with which Harvard refused to comply.
The rift between major universities and the current ruling class started over a response to how the pro-Palestinian student protests that erupted on campuses last year were handled. Since taking office, Trump has stepped up pressure on universities to address anti-Semitism and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, taking Israel’s side at every turn.
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Last week, the White House sent Harvard, an Ivy League school, an “updated and expanded list of demands” it claimed were aimed at combating anti-Semitism on campus. It also issued a warning that the university “must comply” in order to maintain its “financial relationship” with the government. The ruling class’s proposals included changes to the university’s governance, hiring practices, and admissions policies. It also demanded that it eliminate its DEI policies and programs.
Harvard rejected the demands on Monday, accusing the White House of attempting to “control” its community. According to a report by RT, only a few hours later, the ruling class announced it was freezing billions in federal funding for Harvard, claiming that “the disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable.” The rulers continued saying: “The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable. It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support,” the statement from the Education Department added.
The Trump administration has also suspended federal funding for the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Princeton, Cornell, and Northwestern.
Columbia University, on the other hand, agreed to comply with the Trump administration in order to keep obtaining funding. Their acquiescence to many of the proposed changes earned the university praise from many Jewish organizations while sparking criticism from free-speech advocates who view the move as federal overreach.
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