Thousands tell Harvard ‘do not give in’ amid talks of a deal with the Trump administration
Over 14,000 students, alumni, faculty and members of the public have urged Harvard University not to "succumb to the illegal demands" that may be part of a deal with the Trump administration, according to a letter sent to Harvard administrators on Thursday.
"A settlement with the Trump administration will have a chilling effect on the Harvard community and on all of higher education. The university must hold the line: for higher education institutions across the country, for the foundational role that independent higher education plays in our democracy and for the many lives benefitted by the research, service and scholarship of the Harvard community," the letter reads.
The letter comes amid reported talks between Harvard and the Trump administration over a potential $500 million settlement deal to end months of battles between the two. Other institutions, such as Columbia University and Brown University , have struck deals with the federal government recently.
The people who signed onto the letter are asking Harvard not to do the same.
"Columbia and Brown's settlements represent a dangerous capitulation that risks eroding the foundation of American higher education," the letter said. "They must not become a precedent guiding Harvard or other higher educational institutions nationwide."
"We urge you: Do not give in," the letter reads.
As talks continue at Harvard, the university's two lawsuits against the federal government are progressing through the court system.
One lawsuit targets the cutting of over $2.6 billion in federal funding to the institution , while the other challenges the administration's attempts to revoke the university's ability to host international students .
Most recently, the Trump administration threatened to take over Harvard University's patents , saying that the university has "failed to live up to its obligations to the American taxpayer."
What is in the letter?
The Thursday letter, which was sent to Harvard President Alan Garber and to the board that governs the university, was organized by alumni and student groups as well as Harvard unions.
Crimson Courage , an alumni group dedicated to defending academic freedom, sent the letter.
The letter lays out seven key points for what Harvard should do:
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Uphold Harvard's independence: reject demands for monitoring and oversight of Harvard's core functions
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Reject political interference in university decision-making
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Protect the Harvard community, especially those with international status, from any intrusions of privacy, unwarranted immigration action and attacks on their constitutionally protected rights and freedoms.
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Ensure that admissions, hiring, employment and disciplinary processes do not treat students, faculty, researchers, scholars and staff differently based on political viewpoint or engagement in expressive activities disfavored by the government.
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Create a structure and mechanisms for direct and timely engagement with students, faculty, researchers and staff on changes that directly affect the Harvard community.
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Refuse punitive action, including the extortion of hefty fines, that have no relation to and/or fail to cure or address the concerns alleged by the Trump administration.
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Use Harvard's financial resources to protect and honor the livelihoods and education of all students, staff, researchers and faculty that serve and/or are part of the Harvard community.
"Harvard must resist — democracy depends on it," the letter states.
This isn't the only letter Harvard administrators have received about whether or not to make a deal with the Trump administration.
A group of faculty members sent a letter to Garber a couple of weeks ago stating that the university "must not cede authority" to the government over faculty hiring or student admission decisions, leadership and the content taught in classrooms.
The faculty also said that if a deal is reached, the funds allocated to the government should go to programs or projects that the university is okay with, instead of to "patronage slush funds."
"Some of us believe that Harvard should not engage in any extraordinary 'negotiations' with an overstepping federal government; others believe that efforts to find a settlement are the right way forward. All of us have nevertheless agreed to sign this letter because we feel that public clarity is important about what cannot be compromised by Harvard, given its prominence in national and international academic affairs," the faculty wrote.
Other politicians have also weighed in on the potential deal, such as California's Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said Garber should resign.
"Looks like Harvard has chosen to surrender," Newsom wrote on X . "An absolute failure of leadership that will have demonstrable impacts to higher education across our country. He should be ashamed.
What has happened between the Trump administration and Harvard?
The Trump administration has gone after Harvard since April, cutting billions of dollars.
The federal government warned the school could risk losing $9 billion in funding if it does not meet a list of demands that includes an overhaul of Harvard's leadership structure, admissions and hiring.
Harvard rejected those demands, saying the administration sought to "invade university freedoms long recognized by the Supreme Court."
Then the fight over funding unfolded.
It began with a $2.2 billion funding freeze on April 14 after the school refused to comply with the White House's demands.
In response, Harvard filed a lawsuit on April 21, arguing that its constitutional rights had been violated by the government's threats to pull billions of dollars in funding.
Garber also signed onto a letter with hundreds of other university presidents pushing back against "government overreach and political interference" by the Trump administration.
At the beginning of May, the Trump administration said it would bar Harvard University from acquiring new federal grants while the school continues to refuse to comply with the administration's demands for change on its campus.
A few days later, eight federal agencies cut $450 million in grants , and then the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cut $60 million in grants from the university.
Harvard went on to amend its lawsuit against the Trump administration.
On May 16, a wave of nearly one thousand federal research grant terminations began , amounting to more than $2.4 billion, according to an analysis by Nature .
In response, Harvard established a new Presidential Priorities Fund, asking for donations in the midst of federal cuts.
After nearly every single federal grant had been terminated, some of Harvard's schools, including its School of Public Health, took to social media to ask for donations.
Other investigations and threats have been made against the institution, some of which have focused on threatening the university's ability to enroll international students.
This prompted Harvard to open a second lawsuit against the Trump administration over its ability to accept international students.
Most recently, the U.S. State Department opened an investigation into Harvard University's use of international visas.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also subpoenaed Harvard over its failure to provide documents concerning the misconduct or criminal actions of foreign students.
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Read the original article on MassLive .
