The Trump administration has formally charged Harvard University with breaching civil rights laws by failing to adequately address antisemitism on its campus — a move that could see the elite institution stripped of federal funding.
In a sharply worded letter, the federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism accused Harvard of either turning a blind eye to or actively participating in the harassment of Jewish members of its community following Hamas’ brutal assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
“Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s relationship with the federal government,” officials warned Harvard President Alan Garber in the communication sent Monday.
The allegation stems from an inquiry led by the Department of Health and Human Services, which, according to the administration, has funneled nearly $800 million to Harvard in federal funding since the 2023 fiscal year.
In addition to the letter, the HHS Office for Civil Rights delivered a comprehensive 57-page report to Garber, compiled after holding 50 “listening sessions” that included over 500 Jewish students.
That report found that nearly 60% of the Jewish students who participated said they had been subjected to “discrimination, stereotyping, or negative bias on campus due to [their] views on current events.”
Other data highlighted in the findings included that 26% of Jewish students said they feared for their physical safety, while 44% reported feeling unsafe mentally.
The survey also showed that 67% of Jewish students did not feel comfortable voicing their opinions at all, and that number increased to 73% when it came to sharing political views.
The HHS report cited a range of incidents it says amount to a “pattern of unlawful and unchecked discrimination” on the part of the university.
Alleged behaviors included direct harassment between students, organized targeting by student groups, exclusion from campus programs, and what was described as institutional tolerance of antisemitism.
Specific examples in the report included Jewish and Israeli students being spat on for wearing yarmulkes, followed around campus, and subjected to chants of “heil Hitler” while waiting for university shuttles.
According to the investigators, Harvard failed to properly address or respond to these troubling incidents.
This latest notice of violation comes on the heels of a prior letter from the same task force, which listed a set of requirements Harvard must fulfill to avoid forfeiting $256 million in federal contracts and risking an additional $8.7 billion in long-term grants.
Harvard and the Trump administration have been in conflict for months. Earlier in June, Trump signed a sweeping order blocking international students from coming to the U.S. to study at the university.
“When a university refuses to uphold its legal obligations, including its recordkeeping and reporting obligations, the consequences ripple far beyond the campus,” read the proclamation. It added that allowing foreign nationals into Harvard was no longer considered in the “national interest.”
A federal judge has since issued a temporary injunction preventing the administration from terminating Harvard’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
After the court ruling, Trump suggested that negotiations were underway and signaled that a resolution might be near.
“We have been working closely with Harvard, and it is very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so. They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on June 20.
Harvard responded to the government’s accusations by highlighting the actions it has taken to combat antisemitism on campus.
“Harvard has taken substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism in its community,” the university said in a statement.
“In responding to the government’s investigation, Harvard not only shared its comprehensive and retrospective Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias Report but also outlined the ways that it has strengthened policies, disciplined those who violate them, encouraged civil discourse, and promoted open, respectful dialogue,” the statement added.
“Harvard is far from indifferent on this issue and strongly disagrees with the government’s findings.”
{Matzav.com}