Alumni Urge Harvard to Resist $500m Settlement with Trump Administration
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Over 15,000 Harvard alumni, faculty, researchers and staff have signed an open letter urging the university not to settle with the Trump administration amid reports of a possible $500 million deal.
The letter, issued on 1 August, warns that any agreement would undermine academic freedom and set a dangerous precedent for universities across the United States. Signatories criticised recent settlements by Columbia and Brown, which paid the government to resolve disputes over antisemitism claims, diversity admissions practices and access to student data.
“Do not give in,” the letter urges Harvard, calling on the institution to uphold its independence and resist political interference. The appeal emphasises that concessions to the White House would erode university autonomy and embolden further government overreach into higher education.
Harvard, which holds the largest university endowment in the world, has been the only institution to challenge the administration in court. The university has defended its right to determine admissions and hiring practices free from political influence, as well as to protect the privacy of its 7,000 international students, who make up more than a quarter of its student body.
Since mid-April, the Trump administration has repeatedly accused Harvard of failing to tackle antisemitism and refusing to release student records. While Columbia paid $221m and Brown reached its own deal, Harvard has resisted, though speculation of a $500m settlement has sparked alarm within the academic community.
The alumni letter urges the university to use its financial resources to safeguard staff and students, particularly those with international status, from “intrusions of privacy, unwarranted immigration action, and attacks on constitutionally protected rights.” It also calls for greater engagement with the Harvard community over policy changes, warning that capitulation would have a “chilling effect” far beyond Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The signatories argue that the outcome will resonate across the United States, shaping the future of academic freedom and university governance. “At this moment of national reckoning,” the letter concludes, “Harvard must demonstrate that our values, integrity, and freedom are not for sale.”
Source: THE PIE NEWS
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