Payam Javan: The U.S. government announced on April 14, 2025, a freeze on $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University after the institution refused to comply with demands to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and restrict student protests. The decision followed a statement from Harvard President Alan Garber, who declared the university would not compromise its independence or constitutional rights. The Education Department’s task force on anti-Semitism criticized Harvard’s stance, arguing that federal funding comes with an obligation to uphold civil rights laws, accusing the university of fostering an environment contrary to scholarly rigor due to “ideological capture.”

Two weeks prior, federal agencies initiated a review of $9 billion in Harvard’s funding, demanding reforms such as merit-based admissions, a ban on face coverings during protests, and an audit of programs like the Center for Middle Eastern Studies for alleged anti-Semitism. A follow-up letter on April 11 set a compliance deadline of August 2025, urging Harvard to screen international applicants for anti-American views and assess “viewpoint diversity.” Harvard’s rejection of these demands has drawn parallels to Columbia University, which faced similar scrutiny and funding cuts, highlighting growing tensions over federal oversight of academic institutions.